The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXIV, No. 6
February 2013
Haverford, Pennsylvania - haverfordindex.com
Check out the Theft Features on Pages 4 and 5, including a comprehensive list of all reported thefts. Opinion and related news pieces are included as well. Index Staff
Investigative Journalism: Theft Outbreak at Haverford Naturally, the recent rash of thefts from Haverford students is cause for concern. Arjun Dravid ‘15 profiles the situation that has frightened the student body. Arjun Dravid ‘15
Theft. Until this past month it never seemed like a major problem that would strike Haverford. The values and morals embraced by the members of our community have allowed students believe that their belongings were safe, and that no one would ever think to take something that wasn’t rightfully theirs. Theft directly goes against the Honor Code at Haverford, and everything it stands for. This whole problem can be traced back to the huge Episcopal Academy basketball game at home. With over 1,000 people in the gymnasium, it was packed. After the exhilarating game, many students came downstairs to pick up the bags they left their prior to the game. What a few students discovered was that their bags had been taken. It was not just one bag but at least four or five. This led to many students taking to Facebook to ask if anybody knew about the whereabouts of their belongings. Mr. Fifer addressed the issue in an email and in a school assembly the following Monday. That week was when thefts began to skyrocket. Shoes, jackets, laptops, IPhones, and whole bags were taken from a variety of locations. From the rounders to the locker room, people were losing expensive and valuable belongings every day. Students at Haverford took to Facebook to plead with others to search for their belongings. It was clear that theft was becoming a major problem at Haverford. Trying to find out who the thief (or thieves) was, however, proved to be a very difficult task. As Mr. Fifer states, “It is a
nuanced and complicated situation, with over 1,000 people on campus. Mr. Sassu and I are looking at tape of the incident. Obviously after the game the bag area was a high traffic area, and it’s pretty difficult to make sense of the tape because of the number of people in area. We are trying to determine if it was a Haverford student, or a student who attended the game, or a person who came with the intent to take the bags. However at this time there are no leads.” Parents were notified of the situation, and the Lower Merion police department has been called in to look at the tapes as well. Still, at this time there is no culprit for these thefts. Mr. Fifer also voiced that if necessary changes could come to the school “We are obviously open as a school to try to make sure that we minimize the presence of theft. We are looking to increase the presence of public safety at large events, large number of faculty in locker room, and a location where students can lock their bags in large community gathering. Students also need to own the issue, and hold others student accountable. Surveillance can only go so far, if the study body hold other students accountable, and witness other things happening, that would help to curtail theft.” Advisories came together to discuss the topic. Many agreed that if a student witnesses another student in the act of stealing someone else’s belongings, it is their duty to either tell the student to stop or to report it. Having witnesses stand by and not do their part in the community does nothing to help. Another issue that seemed to be stressed was the importance of keeping your belongings safe. Leaving your
Also inside this Issue... Morgan, his family, and football Coach Michael Murphy.
Ms. Dawn Blake
Check out our new sports column, Fords Focus, written by Editor-inChief Manav Khandelwal. This month’s topic: senior commits. On Page 10.
laptop open in a public area, or an iPhone on a desk is irresponsible. If you leave these items in areas where people can take them, then though no one should ever take them, you are leaving yourself susceptible to theft. Students should take every precaution to make sure that their items are not stolen. Write your name on everything, put valuables in your locker, and make sure that you have everything when you leave each class. These actions may be minor, but they go a long way to preventing theft. Mrs. Adele Kasmen believes that the problem lies with the student being irresponsible with their belongings. She says, “Many things that are reported as stolen aren’t stolen. People just lose things, then report them as stolen then find them later. So there aren’t really that many thefts, its just people losing things and finding them. Kids need to be more careful around their belongings and be responsible for them.” Students have very strong opinions on theft at Haverford. Fourth Former Jimmy Boyle, who had his gym bag stolen, says, “I really hate it. Its ridiculous that someone does not care at all what this does to people. All the money I had invested in my stuff stolen so that some kid can sell them to buy his own things. It’s just ridiculous.” Fellow Fourth former Sam Dyer has similar feelings, saying, “It destroys the trust we have with each other in the community. It makes everybody more distrustful which is distracting and unnecessary.” Sixth Former Stewart Denious also agrees with that sentiment. “I think its deplorable, we live in a community where people trust that their fellow students will not take personal belongings that they leave out in the open,” says Denious. “This thief has broken that sacred trust, he is not only a coward but he is the exact opposite of the person we look for in a Haverford gentleman, someone with the basic respect of his fellow students to respect their private property.”
Recently, however, theft has gone down at Haverford. The school provided the upstairs gymnasium classroom as an area where students could keep their bags safely during the Germantown Academy-Haverford basketball game. This proved to be a success as no thefts were reported from that night. Other schools in the area seem to have varying levels of theft at their schools. At Agnes Irwin there seems to be a problem with theft but not a serious one. Mercy O’Malley, a sophomore at Agnes Irwin, says, “I’d say there is theft but it’s not serious. People will take food, money, and school supplies, anything that’s left out. They don’t have boundaries. This happens very often.” At Shipley, however, there does not seem to be any problem with theft. Says sophomore Zach Quayle concerning theft at Shipley, “Well there’s not been an incident with that as long as I’ve been at Shipley; theft isn’t a problem at all.” Baldwin Senior Abby Kate says, “There is an overall sense of trust at Baldwin. Once in a while a laptop goes missing, a textbook disappears, or money is taken from someone’s backpack, but there has been no epidemic of theft lately at Baldwin. Most people still have enough confidence to leave their lockers unlocked and their backpacks unattended. In my last four years, I’ve had one lab notebook go missing, and it was eventually returned.” Theft, overall, is still a major problem at Haverford. When students don’t feel safe at their own school it’s a very serious situation. Whether or not the thief or thieves will be caught is yet to be seen. Whether or not those thieves are even from Haverford is yet to be seen. Students can prevent theft by keeping their belongings in safe places and doing their best to make sure they have all their belongings. If someone witnesses a theft they should either confront the person immediately or tell the school administration.
Politics editor Matt Larson evaluates President Obama’s first term from a liberal standpoint. On Page 13. President Obama (left) with former French President Nicholas Sarkozy (right)..
Sun Times
Article Editorial: Foosball Career Column Theft Incidents Head of Innovation Debate vs Mock Trial Baseball Preview Squash Analysis Alston Wins co-MVP Gun Control/2nd Amend.
Page 2 3 4-5 6 6 9 11 12 14
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The Index
Editorials
February 2013
Letter from the President Editorial: Foosball Is a Problem At Haverford
Dear Student Body,
In response to the recent Index article about the Student Council, I want to say that I’m not taking or giving any of the criticisms personally. I also am not offended or hurt by the article, in fact I think it’s great that the Index is writing critiques of the student council because it will help us improve where we need to improve, but I do not think it is proper for an Index article to have inaccuracies as this article has. I will list a few of these inaccuracies. First, many of the statements and accusations are broad and are not supported with specific examples. The journalist says that the student council “has been more hidden than in recent years” and “many students feel... they no longer have a prominent say in what happens at Haverford.” The student council is constantly using the Facebook pages set up for each form to post announcements and ask questions that pertain to student issues. In fact, during our student council meetings (once every other week, which any student is more than welcome to come to) the first question I ask each representative is if there is anything his grade has brought up to him that we should discuss. We discuss it, agree on a solution, and inform the student body via Facebook. We also are always available in the hallways. I’ve had many students (not just seniors) come up to me and tell me an idea, problem, or just want to ask what’s going on in the student council. Many other members have had similar experiences and we all take the time to respond honestly. Another point made in this article is that there have been very few speeches by the Student Council. I have made many speeches this year and anytime I have time to take announcements at the end of assemblies (which has been less than in previous years because the assemblies this year have gone longer than expected) I always try to fit in any student council announcements. Now, I understand that I am the student body president and I am suppose to give speeches, but I am also the only one who does give speeches, as in the past years. No other student council members have given speeches unless the journalist is referring to form meetings. In this case, the previous years the student council members still have not made speeches to their grades. The form meetings this year have mostly been run by the faculty because
Index Staff
Editors-in-Chief Manav Khandelwal (left) and Grayson Sessa (right).
President Michael Green.
Mike Green they don’t use social media as much as we do, but any chance during these times we feel an announcement is necessary we will inform the students. The last point that is inaccurate is the statement that the student council “did a student body a disservice during the first semester.” I do not understand how after all of our “successfully run projects over the first semester” (as it is written earlier in the article) we have done a “disservice” to the student body. These are the inaccuracies I thought of as I read this article. The journalist and some students may disagree, and that is fine, but I enjoy reading the Index. I enjoy the edgy stories that are supported with evidence, quotes, and specific examples. In fact, I wrote some of those articles, but this article does not supply those great qualities that past Index articles have. Please note that I am not directing these comments at the journalist in any defensive way, I only wish for the articles in the Index to be well developed and accurate. Again, the student council would love to have critiques that contribute to a happier and better Haverford community.
Sincerely, President Mike Green
Years ago when the Class of 2013 was in the Third Form, the ping pong craze hit the school. Today, we know that the behavior became so bad that the tables began to be damaged and were ultimately taken out of the community room and hidden. Now that Haverford once again has a student lounge, another problem has popped up: the Foosball tables. Yet again, the student body is in danger of losing something, a game that the Student Council kindly thought to bring into the lounge, because of poor behavior. Maybe the problem begins with the Third Formers. We question the logic of giving Third Formers, who still need to learn important time-management skills, free reign of the tables. Obviously, study hall proctors need to make sure that study halls remain a time for work rather than another time of the day to play games. But the responsibility also comes down on the shoulders of the Third Formers: hopefully, they understand that the comparatively low-stress of Third Form year should be used to develop the skills necessary to succeed in Mr.Upton’s Honors Precalculus and Mr. Trocano’s Chemistry*. Those classes require an enormous amount of work and preparation, neither of which the Third Form seems to be practicing. Blowing off these important skills, and instead playing Foosball or taking part in some other distraction, will make the next few years unnecessarily tougher. It won’t be a surprise, then, to see those classes come as a reality check to many of these underclassmen. The other problem is the etiquette surrounding the tables. When the rest of the student lounge becomes unusable because
Brendan Burns
of the noise emanating from the Foosball tables, there is a problem. When the crowds around each table are three Third Formers deep and continue for an entire period, there is a problem. When teachers have to shut their doors in first floor classrooms because of the shouting a floor below, there is a problem. But loud noise isn’t the only example of poor etiquette that has become a problem since the installment of the tables. Foul language is often heard at the end of a close match or a long point, and due to the proximity of the community rooms to the school entrance, it is easy for parents or other visitors to hear this type of thing. The community room is also being worn down as a whole on account of the foosball table users. Trash is left everywhere, chairs are unorganized, dents are left in the wall, and thousands of dollars worth of belongings are strewn throughout the room. This space was a present from the student council, and it was built only just this year. To see students misusing it and disrespecting it to such an extreme is as distressing to their peers as it is to teachers and administrators. Haverford stands out from other area schools by having one lounge for the entire student body, whereas others have gradespecific lounges. It says a lot about Haverford that we can have one lounge where all students can be together without clashing. So, let us show just how special Haverford is by making the space good for everyone. The ping pong tables still sit in the closet adjoining the community room. It is up to everyone to ensure that the Foosball tables do not end up beside them.
the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also
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
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. 6 - February 25, 2013
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The Index
Columns
February 2013
De Libris: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Columnist Niticon Davis ‘13 explores the exciting novel of Spanish writer Junot Diaz. Niticon Davis ‘13
“Problem was, when it came to the mujeres my roommate was like no one on the planet. Dude weighed 307 pounds, for Christ’s sake, talked like a “Star Trek” computer. The real irony was that you never met a kid who wanted a girl so bad.” Allow me to introduce Oscar de Leon, an obese nerd and first generation DominicanAmerican who is obsessed with the genres of fantasy and science-fiction and plagued by the desire to find love as well as the curse that he believes has haunted his family for generations. After working on the novel for more than a decade, Junot Diaz published The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao in 2007, which won him the Pulitzer Prize. The novel is a poignant coming of age story switching back and forth from the lives of its various characters in both the pre- and postTrujillo Dominican Republic and Patterson, New Jersey. To tell the story of Oscar and the others in his family, Diaz uses a third person omniscient narrator, whose identity is disclosed later in the novel, in addition to a certain
amount of magical realism. In the novel, themes such as the loss of and search for love, infidelity, coming of age, and self-acceptance are explored. Although the novel is titled for its protagonist, Oscar’s sister, Lola and their mother, Hypatia Belicia Cabral, play major roles in the story, and Diaz devotes a great deal of time into crafting their stories. In doing so he creates for these women stories that are as captivating and heart-wrenching as Oscar’s and does not fall trap to the errors that men attempting to write women may occasionally make. I found I could empathize equally with Oscar, Lola, and their mother. These women and their stories take up much of the novel and genuinely make it their own. Continuing to display his skillful character development, Diaz also tells the story of Oscar and Lola’s grandfather, Abelard, weaving in much of the Dominican Republic’s history, a subject about which most people know little. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a unique and painstakingly crafted novel. Diaz masterfully employs an immense amount sci-fi references, footnotes, profanity, and copious
Spanish words and phrases to make an powerfully-engaging novel. In choosing what to translate, what to explain in the footnotes, and what to leave to the readers’ curiosity, he somehow strikes an immaculate rhythm with a style completely his own. That being said, to understand all of the references in this book one requires either a lot of background knowledge or the convenient annotated guide that can be found online. While most of the novel’s plot was spoiled for me (thanks Haverford faculty!), I was not given any forewarning about how heavy the story becomes in certain parts of the book. Whether through the vivid descriptions of the gruesome cruelties carried out by Dominican dictator Raphael Trujillo’s regime or the emotional anguish felt by many of the characters, certain portions of the novel can be quite emotionallymoving and difficult to read. However, a novel such as this one appears rarely and should thus be appreciated for the treasure that it truly is and read by all.
The book cover.
Wikipedia
Career Column: Neurology and the Uncharted Depths of the Human Brain Fourth Former Jack Henderson explores one of the lesser known potential careers in the ever-popular medical field: neurology. Jack Henderson ‘15
The complexity of the human brain is incredible. While orchestrating the humdrum routine of daily life, the brain simultaneously can produce rousing speeches and solve the most difficult equations. The brain is the hub for every human’s feelings, behavior, and experiences, as well as the depository for the wonderful memories and thoughts that one accumulates throughout life. As Robynne Boyd, a writer for Scientific American, writes, “Out of all the brain’s cells, only 10 percent are neurons; the other 90 percent are glial cells, which encapsulate and support neurons, but whose function remains largely unknown. Ultimately, it’s not that we use 10 percent of our brains, merely that we only understand about 10 percent of how it functions.” It is for these various reasons that the full understanding of the brain continues to escape us. However, many honorable men and women called neurologists work to solve the riddle that is the human brain. A neurologist is a physician who practices neurology while a surgeon who operates on the brain is called a neurosurgeon. Neurologists research, diagnose, and treat diseases and conditions of the brain and nervous system. Some common conditions that neurologists face are Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and even
migraines. The road to becoming a neurologist is long and arduous. Out of high school, the occupation requires a four-year undergraduate degree from a university or college, a four-year medical degree from an accredited US medical school, a one-year internship, and at least three years of residency training in neurology. In December the Gwinn Lecturer Steven Galetta talked about neurology and the research behind concussions in athletics, especially football. Haverford students have had internships with the doctor who gave the lecture, researching the effects of concussions on the brain. With the new concern in the National Football League, the study of the brain has recently popped up in more conversations than in past years. Independent neurologists, who can diagnose and treat concussions, will be at all NFL games on the sidelines this upcoming season. If neurology seems interesting to you, it is never too early to start preparing yourself for a medical career. In high school select rigorous science courses. There are many senior electives that build a strong foundation to prepare you for undergrad and medical school. Courses like Advanced Physics, Physiology, and Molecular Biology are an excellent introduction into the medical field. The school also offers an Advanced Laboratory Research Cooperative, in which
students are chosen through an evaluation process and begin to explore various scientific fields. As The Haverford School Course Catalogue writes, “Once [the students] have identified a particular area of interest, the boys will begin investigating opportunities for placement in a cooperating local University or Private laboratory…The boys [may] be enrolled in a six to eight week summer research experience in which they will work closely with investigators and/or graduate students at an area university, or private laboratories on research projects they have selected.” Many students have used this course to study a medical field that interests them; some have even researched inn neurological-related fields. ochsner.org If you are interested Receptors in the human brain like these are important to study. in a career in neurology, career is right for you. or even medicine in general, I urge you to References: Penn Medicine, American seriously consider taking at least one science Academy of Neurology, Johns Hopkins class senior year and the Research Cooperative Medicine, Scientific American, and The to test the waters and determine if a medical Haverford School
House of Cards, New TV Show, Released in Full of Netflix Otis Baker ‘15 reviews a new TV show, House of Cards, that was just released in full on Netflix. He recommends the political drama to Haverford students. Otis Baker ‘15
Francis Underwood is the whip for the Democrats in Congress. He is the enforcer. Francis Underwood knows all of the politicians’ secrets and is not afraid to betray them to get what he wants. In this new show House of Cards, released on Netflix, Francis Underwood is played by Kevin Spacey. The show has really impressed me as a form of entertainment as well as education. It is as much a thriller drama as any episode of 24, but it is also hugely insightful into the American political world. Spacey’s character uses journalists, other congressmen,
and lobbyists to accomplish his goals and manages to stay perfectly clean and out of trouble. Like 24, you will get hooked watching House of Cards because you never know what Underwood is going to do next even though he is always in control. This is likely why the show was released straight to Netflix: so people could watch as much as they wanted in one sitting. The idea of releasing a show only to Netflix has not been done before. This is an interesting step because of the flexibility it provides to the viewer. Netflix made the decision to release the whole first season at once because of studies that showed how
people use Netflix. The studies showed that most Netflix subscribers use it to “binge watch” and watch several episodes right in a row. Netflix also made the decision to fund and create the show to compete with originals series like Showtime’s Homeland and Amazon Prime’s Downton Abbey. Netflix has made a huge leap with their new original series as it has hit hard and created a large jump in subscribers. The show is relevant to students at Haverford because of the look it provides into the American political climate. Current problems are brought up in the show and debated, ignored, or lied about, which provides entertainment as well as a look into how political leadership operates. Netflix’s hundred million dollar risk has paid off in a big way for them. House of Cards is a hit and will continue to boost their subscriber numbers. I strongly recommend that students check this one out.
A promotional poster for the show. Netflix.com
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The Index
Theft at Haverford
February 2013
A Comprehensive List of Recent Theft Incidents Compiled by the Editors-in-Chief Keyveat Postell Date: Late December (iPhone), late January (jacket) Items stolen: iPhone and a Northface jacket. The iPhone was sitting on a bench in the locker room, unattended for only about thirty seconds. The jacket was on the top of his locker in the Upper School, where he put it each morning at 8:00, but it was missing after school on the day of the theft. His comments: “It must end, really getting out of control.” Total value of items: $450 Robert Klein Date: Friday, January 25 from the rounders outside of Ms. Kasmen’s office Items stolen: Green gym bag His comments: “The theft issue is disappointing and disturbing. I’ve never locked any of my belongings up during my 8 years at Haverford. That would seem crazy to most people unfamiliar with our community, but I truly trust my peers at Haverford and have never second guessed not locking up my valuables. It sickens me that somebody is taking advantage and violating the special community and brotherhood Haverford students and faculty have worked so hard to build.” Total value of items: $225 Peter Blynn Date: January 21st (out of gym locker) Items stolen: LeBron Zoom Soldier 6’s Basketball sneakers and khaki pants His comments: “I think the entire situation is unfortunate for Haverford. As I have said, the problem is not that people have to lock their things up, it is that theft is even happening. I’ve been at Haverford for 12 years and have never had to worry about locking anything or not leaving anything out but now our community has been marred by this activity.” Total value of items: $200 Roby Burch Date: January 18th (at Jorts Night, his change of clothes was stolen) Items stolen: Haverford Lacrosse Bag, khaki pants, Oil Cloth toiletry case, sneakers His comments: “Personally, I think its terrible. We go to a school where you have all the opportunities in the world and kids are stealing from other students. I think that these students need to be found and kicked out of the school. We can’t pride ourselves on respect honesty and courage when students are doing these things.” Total value of items: $335 Kenny Fitzpatrick Date: At 7:00 the night of the EA basketball game
His comments: “Theft is an issue that destroys any sense of community Haverford can have. The most powerful thing we have is our community and when theft is a common occurrence, it becomes difficult for people to trust others. The only solution that we as students have is to be on the lookout and if you see something, say something. Lock up your belongings and give the thief nothing to steal.” Total value of items: $250 JJ House Date: January 29th Items stolen: Timberland-style Top Sider. They were left sitting outside in swimming locker room, which is locked from the outside, at 6:30 AM for morning practice, but they were gone at 8:05 when he returned His comments: “I think theft is atrocious and needs to be better prevented. I have nothing to hide, only belongings to protect, so putting cameras up or anything would not bother me or seem like an invasion of privacy.” Total value of items: $125
Brandon Walker Date: January 30th Items stolen: Blazer, which was taken out of his backpack from the rounders outside of Mrs. Kasmen’s office His comments: “Annoying. Makes me upset that someone is going around taking things that don’t belong to them. Mine is only a blazer and not that serious but computers, headphones, and things like that are important to people and shouldn’t be taken.” Total value of items: $300 Peter Thompson
“I really hate theft at Haverford. I’ve lost all trust in the student body because of it.” - Logan Atkins Date: Dec. 21 at the basketball game Items stolen: Macbook Pro, entire school bag containing first semester binders, and a Ti-84 calculator His comments: “I’ve never really thought twice about leaving my bag in different places on campus until now. Apparently, I had too much trust in the student body. Because of some selfish individual(s), my family was unnecessarily forced to spend $1500 on new materials for my studies. I was forced to re-write college essays, and the whole incident really just put a damper on my senior year. I’m still very angry. Stealing from someone else is inexcusable; it doesn’t compute with me.” Total value of items: $1500
“Theft at Haverford is just stupid...And, in reality, these guys are only stealing, so they can make some money because they are way too lazy to get a job. These people need to grow up and learn that if they try to make a living out of this, they will go straight to jail.” Jimmy Boyle Items stolen: 13” Retna MacBook Pro, not even three weeks old, and his entire backpack His comments: “Before the event, I felt as if I went to school in a safe environment, but now I constantly bring my stuff wherever I go and do not leave anything unattended.” Total value of items: $2000 Jack Henderson: Date: January 16th (out of my bag on one of the benches in US locker room) Items stolen: Tie, sweater, and button-down shirt
Macbooks like this one have been stolen.
Samsung Galaxy SIII off a bench on the Athletic Field, a MacBook laying on a bench in the quad, an iPhone 5 laying on a bench at Centennial Hall, two iPad 3’s and a Mini iPad left lying around in the Athletic Building, several bookbags and backpacks, and a number of expensive sport coats and winter coats.”
Index Staff
“I am kind of upset about it because I had a lot of valuable things in my bag. I really want whoever [took it] to give everyone’s things back to them if that is possible.” Cameron Hudson
Note: The Index, in an effort to spread awareness and help the administration curb this problem, asks that students continue to help us by reporting problems. Please send the date of your incident, the location of where the item was stolen from and what time of day, the items stolen, the total value of items, and your thoughts on theft. You can send that to hsindex@gmail.com or go to haverfordindex. com and submit your incident there. There will be a “submissions” tab and you can fill
the information form with the above details. This type of investigative journalism is what stops widespread problems like that and we appreciate your support in this endeavour.
Only a handful of the reported crimes are included in this article. Please email hsindex@gmail.com or check for updates on haverfordindex.com where you can see the full lists, which has many more incidents and quotations from your fellow classmates.
Total Value of All (Reported) Stolen Items: $9,210
DISCLAIMER: Some incidents may have been the result of misplacing items. In a letter to parents, Head of School Mr. Matthew Green wrote, “Every day, I would estimate that several hundred thousand dollars worth of unguarded possessions are still there when students return and or remember where they left them. Moreover, much of what students report as having been stolen has actually been misplaced... High school boys are good at lots of things, but keeping track of their belongings is not one of them. Just this weekend, our public safety team picked up a
out
Manav Khandelwal
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The Index
Theft at Haverford
February 2013
Theft’s Effect on the Haverford Community: Opinion Jake Pechet ‘15
Theft was an “issue” at Haverford a month ago. Now, it is an incredibly embarrassing, distressing problem that must be rectified. No longer can we dismiss the loss of valuable personal items as isolated occurrences, something that happens every once in a while and is nothing to concern ourselves with. Theft is running rampant in our community, and it has to be stopped immediately if Haverford is to to exist as we know it. The beauty of Haverford, what makes it so unbelievably unique and special, is our community. We often like to argue with our Inter-Ac rivals that what makes our school superior to all others is the successful sports teams, the unparalleled academics, and the flourishing arts programs, but the real reason Haverford is among the best schools in the entire country is the intimate relationships we have with each other. It is a brotherhood, and while not everyone gets along perfectly, we always have each other’s backs. I don’t know of anywhere else where kids bring $2,000 computers, pricey phones, and expensive clothes to school and just leave them lying around, entirely unattended. The fact that these immensely valuable items remain where the owner left them is almost inconceivable. But that is why Haverford is incomparable to any other institution. When you take a step back and consider it for a moment, you realize that it takes a truly special school with a particularly unified community to manage
such a feat. Kids stroll into Haverford every morning with thousands of dollars in personal belongings, and leave several hours later not missing a thing. This engenders a strong sense of trust and confidence in each other that has allowed for Haverford to reach the great heights it has. We have state and national champion sports teams, National Merit finalists, and internationallyrecognized musicians. Haverford’s ability to find success in so many different facets of life is a testament to the community we students have built. Haverford is a place where you are free to be yourself and pursue your passions, and this freedom is rooted in a steadfast trust in our peers. But, if you are still reading this, you are probably thinking to yourself, “This doesn’t happen at Haverford. I’m afraid to even leave my gym bag lying around.” And it is true. Haverford was once a place where kids trusted one another, where people were not afraid to leave their laptops in their bags during lunch or their phones on their desks when they go to the bathroom. Sadly, theft has jeopardized all that. We have labeled him “The Haverford Bandit,” but this cannot possibly be the work of just one person. The thefts are too widespread, too frequent. How many friends of yours have lost a pair of shoes? A jacket? A wallet or at least the contents of it? A phone? A laptop? Calculator? Even backpacks have been stolen. Now, no one trusts anyone. Students are whispering behind others’ backs, rapidly losing faith in people they once considered friends. This theft is steadily eating away at our
community, and soon we won’t be able to recognize what it has become. We have threatened these thieves, blamed them for our misfortunes, even criticized the administration for its lack of vigilance. We have created a scapegoat and pointed accusatory fingers, but now it is time to turn the fingers on ourselves. We are at fault for what is happening. Certainly, the thieves deserve their fair share of the blame, but none of these disgusting, egregious acts would have been Index Staff The rounders, the site of many thefts. committed had we been prior form, but not without a concerted effort more observant. We, as a community, should from the community. We have to be more alert be ashamed and embarrassed. On our watch, and not hesitate to act if we see something. we have allowed Haverford to be desecrated First and foremost, we must find and eradicate by a few degenerate, baseless creeps. This is these thieves. People like this have absolutely our community, and I, for one, will not stand no place in a community such as Haverford. idly by and let this happen any longer. Once these criminals are gone from our I guarantee that someone at Haverford community, then, and only then, can we begin knows something, and to that person, I urge to heal. you to share what you know. Tell Mr.Green, Theft has shaken Haverford to its very tell Mr. Fifer, or even go tell Dr. Cox himself. core, and it is going to take some time to The bottom line is these despicable criminals recover, but all hope is not lost. Haverford will must be caught so that we can begin rebuilding rebound, but only if we, the students, speak out what they have destroyed. and take back our community. I still believe Haverford can return to its
in the gym. However, at the beginning of the year each student is given the opportunity to request a gym locker, and it is the student’s responsibility to obtain a locker to secure his items. Another possible cause of this theft is the students. Fourth Former Noah Lejman believes, “The students need to be more responsible with their [belongings] and lock them up or leave high value [items] at home.” This is a widely accepted belief among students and the school because in the real world it is often the victim’s fault that they did not lock their car or stow away their possessions. Fourth Former Austin Krell agrees with Khandelwal. He feels that “by leaving our possessions out in the open, where they can be easily accessed, we’re basically encouraging the thief to steal.” This is a valid argument and one that must be accounted for when considering the entire issue because a responsible student could always put his gym bag in his locker and leave his backpack in a secure area. Khandelwal continues, “Students have not done their best to protect their belongings. You will frequently see items lying around the school during the day; if students didn’t give the thief something to steal, theft wouldn’t be a problem.” Many people have adopted this belief as the most reasonable because the student must take responsibility for his own belongings. Many students have had their possessions stolen, and they have developed passionate feelings towards the thief and what the punishment should be for the crook. However, some students believe people must consider the situation of the thief. Pressman goes on to say, “The student body is ready to expel the student, rather than forgiving an equal member of the community for a problem he may not be completely at fault for; the student body is often apathetic towards those who do wrong, and should consider a more accepting view of those who do wrong.” Pressman believes that instead of alienating the culprit and throwing him out of the community, the school should instead take more rehabilitative measures to help the thief from stealing and hopefully prevent future thefts from occurring. The final person that may be to blame is obviously the thief. Fourth Former Arjun Dravid sees the blame to be “solely on the thief.” He goes on to say, “At Haverford, it is instilled in the community that there is a certain trust. I recall one time one of my friends left his iPhone on a table in the big room, and came back later and it was in the same spot, untouched.” Dravid and many others had felt a bond between the students. He
says, “It was that kind these of trust that allowed students to have faith in each other. This thief broke our bond, our trust, and he broke the sense of community that brought us all together.” Many agree with Dravid and they were surprised that theft was allowed to make such an impact on the community. Fourth Former Louie Brown also believes the thief is the person to blame. He explains, A shortage of lockers has contributed to the problem. Wikipedia “Haverford prides itself on having a friendly, safe, and secure community and campus— events, learn from it, and make the Haverford which I feel that we accomplish—and whoever community stronger from it. is stealing from their classmates is just taking Everyone can grow from these events by advantage of something that makes Haverford realizing that theft will always be an issue a special place and really serving to undermine and learning the responsibility to protect his our community.” belongings. As Pressman explains, “This Pressman also recognizes the theft as a whole theft problem will have to be addressed significant person to blame. He states, “There by an administration willing to take some of is a student who feels that he may take other’s the blame, a community ready to forgive one’s belongings at will, which is a problem inherent transgressions, and a student who is repentant to a student.” Others are disappointed that for his wrong actions.” Many students turned theft has caused the students to no longer be on each other when their sense of trust was able to trust each other. Brown continues, broken. However, it is most important to stick “By now a lot of people feel that they have together through the hard times when it is hard to lock their things up or keep a constant eye to trust anyone. The students must be more on it, something that we haven’t had to do responsible with their possessions, the school and shouldn’t have to do.” Many students must be open-minded to possible solutions, and have become more aware of possible theft the thief must accept the responsibility for his and have done a better job of protecting their wrongdoings. We must look past everything belongings. that has happened and move on from it as a The thefts have gone down in recent weeks. stronger, more connected community. Viable reasons for this is that the steps put in place by the school and the awareness of the students have prevented the thief from stealing. However, the incidents have occurred and the chances of any belongings being returned or found are slim to none. Therefore, the school and its students can Students also need to protect their belongings; it’s as simple as locking a locker sometimes. Photobucket only reflect on
Who Is to Blame for the Thefts? Students Speak Out Jack Henderson ‘15 Many students feel that theft is a problem that can destroy a sense of community. Our fundamental assumption of trust within our community is vital to Haverford’s structure and isolated environment for learning. When theft is a common occurrence, it becomes difficult for people to trust others and destroys everything Haverford can be. Theft will always be an issue in every community. However, it seems ridiculous that theft at Haverford has allowed to get to such a large sale and directly affect so many people and requires further evaluation of who is to blame for the incidents. Since winter break there have been scores of thefts at Haverford, particularly in common areas, such as the rounders and most often in the gym locker room. Backpacks, sports equipment, school clothes, and laptops are among the items most often stolen. In mid-January, a day did not go by when there was not a theft. Almost every evening after school, students would post in school Facebook pages, hopefully asking if anyone had seen their missing items. As the thefts occurred more often and more expensive items were taken, students began to feel outraged and concerned that their safe haven at school had been disrupted. The school has taken precautionary measures to prevent any future thefts and hopefully catch the culprit. The school has placed more security men in the gymnasium while also releasing the security camera footage to the Lower Merion township police. The school has also advised the students to better protect their belongings. Many people feel the school has adopted a “blame the victim” mentality. Sixth Former Fisher Pressman believes that the issue is “a culmination of several key factors coming together.” However, on one hand, he feels that “the administration would rather place the blame on victims (such as stressing that the chosen location of one’s items was a poor choice, and that in such a location, theft was bound to happen) rather than addressing the real cause of the problem.” Students believe that this mentality is unfair under the circumstances at school. Students feel that the school has not offered them the proper security to protect their belongings. Fourth Former Manav Khandelwal explains, “The administration, as evidenced by an earlier article in The Index regarding the locker situation, has also not been able to fully equip each individual with a locker, which has put them at risk.” There is also a limited number of lockers available
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Head of Innovation Matt Larson ‘14
Education may never look the same. Earlier this year, Mr. Joseph Sweeney was promoted from Head of the Math Department to fill an entirely new position: Head of Innovation. For those who do not know Mr. Sweeney, his educational career began immediately after 9/11 when he was a software programmer. “I wanted to give back,” he commented, “so I decided to try out teaching.” His wife agreed, and he initially decided to try this new profession out for five years. Soon, “five years turned to ten,” as he enjoyed it so much. However, after the tenth year was up, Mr. Sweeney considered leaving Haverford to try out different opportunities. When he talked with retiring Headmaster Dr. Joseph Cox about
Mr. Sweeney.
Haverford
this, he suggested to Mr. Sweeney that “the most interesting work would be to help the school turn to a rich-learning experience” and the idea of the Head of Innovation position was born. Seeing as “education is undergoing dramatic changes,” Mr. Sweeney talked to the Board of Trustees after his meeting with Dr. Cox about school development (and innovation) about a year ago. From then until this past winter break, Mr. Sweeney did more research and enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania’s Mid-career doctorate in Educational Leadership program. He then interviewed for the position after exams, was notified that he had been selected, and started work when school was back in session. It was imperative that he begin work immediately in this new position as “opportunities [for innovation] exist within a time-sensitive and
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unstable window.” The position itself is very unique in that “Haverford is the first Inter-Ac school to have established it,” along with companies like General Motors and Apple. The point of Innovation is to find out “what learning looks like…and try to make that happen” as well as to “improve what [Haverford] is doing.” Mr. Sweeney asked himself, “are there inventions that could be brought in to better the experience at school or enrich the learning?” After all, “School is an organization that facilitates learning,” so any way to better this experience should be examined. Startup companies, organizations that look for sustainable business models, will in general talk with public schools about where to take education; however, “If private schools work with these startup companies, they can dictate the conversation.” It would be better for private schools to do this, because “while [private] education helps students grow as people, public education is focused on students getting past a minimum.” In other words, the public school response to education can be inherently explained by three things: “cost pressure, efficiency, and systemization,” whereas the private school response comes down to “personalization, meaning...student-centered experiential learning and community.” Already Haverford is venturing into the world of startup companies; look no further than the online site Duolingo, which came to Haverford for help earlier in the year in its quest to teach students foreign language. According to Mr. Sweeney, Haverford is “an attractive site for pilots, co-branding, and related initiatives... [Haverford] can give instant credibility to any learning innovation we adopt or help create” due to the school’s excellent reputation. When asked about his former work in the Math Department’s online service, Mr. Sweeney wanted to clarify that “[the Math Department] wasn’t trying to build an online curriculum,” but rather, it was trying to “create new experiences to help students learn.” This could be done by “shortening feedback loops, customizing content to meet standards, and allowing students to move at their own pace.” This is one area that Mr. Sweeney misses by moving into more of an administrative position; it is “very challenging, personally, to give up the classroom,” he explains. This was also made more difficult by the fact that “the Math Department was the most competent team of professionals that I have managed.” Mr. Sweeney still can be seen teaching the software programming class, which he will lead until the end of the year. From all of us at Haverford, good luck to Mr. Sweeney in his new position!
Mock Trial Is In Session James Shecter ‘13
The 2012-2013 Mock Trial team is comprised of an eclectic, motivated group of students from each Form, and the camaraderie on the team this year is unparalleled by past groups. Captained by four-year veterans (Sixth Formers Sam Bloch and James Shecter), this year’s team members have worked tirelessly since November preparing their openings, directs, crosses, and closing statements. The case this year involved a construction accident that killed two people. The prosecution, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is attempting to charge the defendant Tatum Zilias with third degree murder. Stated most simply, the Prosecution’s goal is to prove that Zilias had Malice while the defense attempts continually to divert the blame to secure a verdict of “not guilty.” Although it may seem based on that description as if one side had the advantage, in reality both positions can be easily argued. After months of preparation, Team 1 (consisting of Shecter and Bloch, Fifth Formers TJ Cole and John Zipf, and Fourth Formers Jake Pechet and Jack Henderson) began competition at the University of Pennsylvania invitational in mid-January. The team, accompanied by faculty advisor Ms. Carmen Mateos and legendary Philadelphia trial lawyer Mr. Frank DeSimone, was eager for its first taste of courtroom experience with the case. The weekend was a mock trial marathon, to say the least: the team had two
the team members collectively refocused and began practicing for the upcoming District Competition, which is much more intense. The District Competition, held at the Montgomery County Courthouse, is a 30team competition that lasts over the course of several weeks (from late January through February). Both of Haverford’s teams spent countless nights at school finalizing their arguments and perfecting their rhetoric in the weeks leading up to the first trial. Team 2, captained by Fourth Formers Manav Khandelwal and Arjun Dravid, is a much larger team because, unlike on Team 1, its members perform just one side of the case. Other Team 2 members include Fifth Former Max Spencer; Fourth Formers Jackson Simon, Curran Browning, Robbie Klein, Nick Greco, Ben Berger, and Will Hyland; and Third Formers Matt Paolino and Eli Wachs. On Thursday, January 31, both teams had two trials at the Courthouse. Team 1 dominated as defense against The Hill School, and Team 2 as prosecution likewise won its trial. In its second trials of the day, Team 1 was defeated by the narrowest of margins while Team 2 celebrated an impressive victory as defense. The scoring system for the competition is confusing and flawed, but since Haverford’s Team 1 did not win both of its trials, it was eliminated from competition. Team 2, however, is still in it: they racked up another victory as defense on February 5, and they are eagerly preparing for their next trial with the help of alumnus attorney Mr. Robert Graff ‘00. Ms. Mateos noted that this year’s Mock
Mock Trial’s Team 1: (from left) Sen. Mateos, Zipf, Pechet, Cole, Shecter, Bloch, Henderson, and Mr. DeSimone..
2.5-hour trials both on Saturday and Sunday. It was confident in its abilities but realized there was still much more work to be done. The score reports, which were published later in the week, revealed that Haverford had a record of 2-2, having won and lost once each as both Prosecution and Defense. Regardless of the sub-par record at Penn,
Haverford is unique because it provides its students with so many opportunities outside of the classroom. Haverford offers a wide range of extracurricular activities and leadership programs spanning from robotics and DECA to the Honor Council and the Service Board. There is a plethora of activities to keep students both occupied and passionate about work. Two clubs that thrive on the passion and intellectual curiosity of students are Mock Trial and Debate club. Both of these clubs possess attributes that don’t necessarily always correlate to law or political debate topics. These two clubs truly prepare boys for life by providing participants with necessary practice in communication and presentation skills. In both you must master a situation or topic. You must separate the facts from the fallacies in order to form an argument. You have to immerse yourself in the case or topic so that you have the skills to argue both sides. You must decide what information is essential and what is extraneous. You must abide by the time limits through keeping your speeches concise, clear, and coherent. You have to master the art of oratory by being articulate and persuasive.
You must present yourself reasonably to the judge or jury through eye contact and proper attire. You have to learn how to develop a winning work ethic. In the short, hour-long meetings, you must stay on task and work efficiently with your peers. You need to be resourceful by asking for help from your lawyer, your debate coach, or the upperclassmen, who guide the freshmen and sophomores by taking them under their wings. Both clubs ultimately supply you with vital arguing, competing, presenting, and communicating skills. Both clubs are led by caring and knowledgeable teachers. Ms. Rachael Jennings heads the debate club in her first year at Haverford while Senora Carmen Mateos has given her support to the mock trial program for nearly a decade. Both teachers have been extremely dedicated in encouraging and facilitating their students’ success and development. Each club has its own strengths and weaknesses. In mock trial, the judges/ jurors are more experienced; they provide helpful feedback and criticisms while giving encouragement and congratulations. They are practicing lawyers who really sympathize
with teenagers who show passion for law. The outcomes in a mock trial are arguably more fair because debate judges could be parents, potentially with too little background information. On the other hand, Debate is a much more flexible club. First off, there is a new topic every month, so there is always new excitement following the release of each monthly resolve. Other than the time limits and order of speaking, there are very few complex and intricate rules in Debate club. You are free to speak as you wish and express your own personal opinion. You can bring in facts from the outside world and possibly get away with some fact exaggerations. In Mock Trial, the system is more rigid. You need to know the objections and the proper court etiquette. You need to be aware of each exception to rules and you need to stick to the facts of the case. Mock Trial, however, requires more persuasion and oratorical skills. You must perform your closing and opening speeches by heart. Each time you go out in front of the jury, you are an artist, a performer; this is also true for debate. Your delivery can be even more persuasive than the facts. Witnesses must act as their character and find clever ways to deflect
James Shecter
Trial team, from top to bottom, was unlike any other team she had worked with. The bonds and friendships formed on the team are lasting, and, needless to say, the future is bright with such a talented group of young men. On behalf of all the Mock Trial students, we sincerely thank Ms. Mateos and our coaches Mr. DeSimone and Mr. Graff for all of their help.
Mock Trial v. Debate: Which Club is for You? Jackson Simon ‘15
February 2013
the opposing lawyer’s aggressive questions. The acting and credibility of a witness can either make or break your case. In mock trial you compete in a real courtroom; they make you feel professional as you stand in front of a robed judge and a jury. You can possibly stand in the same position that your mentor/lawyer stood in while he performed in an actual trial. There is a slightly more authentic and genuine feel in the courthouse. In Mock Trial, you can convict someone of murder and send him to jail. Sophomore Jake Pechet genuinely appreciates the real world applications present in Mock Trial. “There are many reasons why I love Mock Trial,” Pechet explains, including “the fact that everything we do is realistic, that the Mock Trial rules of evidence are modeled off of the real ones, that we get to try a case in a real courtroom with a real judge and lawyers as the jury, that the PA Bar writes a 90-plus page case every year complete with witness statements and exhibits, and that the entire problem is plausible and could have actually happened is simply awesome. It requires a ton of work, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see months of effort and preparation pay off on trial day.” Continued on the Next Page
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The Index
News
February 2013
“Delegate From Burundi...You Are Acknowledged”
Greg Boyek ‘14 discusses the Haverford School Model United Nations team, which has recently returned from two successful conferences representing the African nation of Burundi, where the team tackled issues such as human rights, Iranian nuclear programs, and other international matters. Greg Boyek ‘14
The international meetings of students at high school and college level Model UN conferences are a unique opportunity for students to cooperate and develop solutions to real-world problems. This year, delegates from Haverford attended both the Ivy League Model United Nations at the University of Pennsylvania and the Johns Hopkins Model UN Conference. At the Ivy League Model UN, Haverford students cooperated with nearly three thousand students from countries all over the world to craft realistic solutions to relevant global issues. The team has expanded since last year and team leaders and faculty advisors are always hoping to engage more students of all Forms in the Upper School. At the conference at the University of Pennsylvania, Haverford students represented the African nation of Burundi. This presented a unique challenge, as delegates needed to represent the status of the small nation accurately. The Haverford delegation broke into smaller teams of two, each of which tackled a different topic in large General Assembly committees such as Disarmament and Security, Legal, or Economic. Discussion at a Model UN conference is not over theoretical topics, as the goal of each committee is to establish a practical solution to a problem.
Mr. Kevin Tryon, Faculty Advisor to the Haverford Model UN Team, said that what is most valuable in Model UN is “the opportunity to engage in events that are global and pertinent. Also, the opportunity to engage with students from different schools, different countries, different continents, for example China and India, is worth our while. It broadens our horizon: we talk about collaboration in the classroom, but this is an opportunity to collaborate with people from halfway around the globe [coming to meet] in Philadelphia.” Two of the major goals of a Model UN conference are greater awareness of global issues and deeper understanding of the process of creating international resolutions. To the latter end, a Model UN committee session involves the same structure as an actual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Model UN delegates must follow proper procedure in debate, gathering support for their resolution. Working with students representing other countries, delegates craft full drafts of United Nations Resolutions, which must follow the standard formats of international law and stand up to the questioning of the committee. Large Model UNs, such as the Ivy League and Johns Hopkins conferences, attract teams from all over the world. For this reason, Model UN delegates must bring more than knowledge
on the subject of debate. Delegates need to have a willingness to cooperate with other students who are not only representing a country but also may be of very different background or nationality than a Index Staff Leaders of the Model UN team: (from left) Jon Block ‘14, Mr. Rory Hart, Jack Armstrong ‘13. Haverford Joining the team offers an excellent student. opportunity to develop a greater understanding As well as the large international of global issues and meet students similarly conferences, the Haverford Model UN Team knowledgeable of the world from different attended a local conference at Chestnut Hill schools and different countries. The Haverford Academy and is in the planning stages to host School Model UN team continues to work to a conference with the Inter-Ac schools. This understand the critical problems in the world project would be the first Model UN to be held today, in the spirit of the peacemaker President at Haverford. Mr. Tryon said that he looks Woodrow Wilson, who once stated, “I can forward to “seeing how students will shoulder predict with absolute certainty that within the responsibilities of…how we are going to another generation there will be another world run the program.” war if the nations of the world do not concert Model UN is a unique experience the method by which to prevent it.” for students with a variety of interests.
a sufficient amount persuasion and public speaking skill. For instance, although you tend to read from your speeches, you have to perform your speech in the most persuasive manner. During the crossfire, you must speak fluidly and persuasively while refraining from overpowering your adversary in a screaming match. Junior Graham Gaddes echoes this idea: “I enjoy Debate club because it helps me with public speaking and allows me to work on both my writing and persuasive skills.” Not only are the participants developing valuable life skills, but they are enjoying it in the process. During the rebuttal, you must point out the flaws in your opponent’s arguments on the spot. Depending on the topic, it could be extremely difficult to predict what the other team will aim at. There is a lot of flexibility to rework the resolve and interpret the framework in a different way. On the contrary, in Mock Trial, both sides have the same facts and the same framing; almost nothing is left up to interpretation. You can prepare counterpoints and arguments months prior to the competition in Mock Trial.
For the most part, you know what to expect from the opposing council. While Mock trial is a fictitious case, debate topics pertain to the real world. You argue topics to which current politicians are struggling to find solutions. Debate enhances your awareness of world news and your worldliness. You can discuss your arguments with family and friend. Form VI debate captain Grayson Sessa commented, “I think it’s a great way to become a better public speaker, and most of my growth in that arena has come almost entirely from Debate. Also, the monthly topics are always based on issues of global importance at the moment, so you’re never debating a total abstract.” Form IV student Arjun Dravid agrees, saying “Each topic is very relevant to what we are dealing with in the real world (gun control, taxes versus spending cuts, China). The research you do for these topics furthers your general knowledge of the world around you, therefore making you a better part of society.” Debate immerses and introduces you to problems and situations that maybe one day you will remedy
as a representative of our country, and Debate encourages participants to look at everything with a critical eye and to observe flaws in current legislation and policy. Sophomore Jack Henderson agrees that Debate club “helps you develop critical thinking skills that are both useful and applicable to many aspects of life.” Both clubs thrive on the camaraderie among students. Form VI Mock Trial captain, James Shecter, relishes his time as a part of Haverford’s Mock Trial team, “The camaraderie and friendships that we develop in mock trial make practices and meetings much more fun than they ever were, and since we’re all enjoying it, we are performing at a much higher level. It’s sad that it’s over for me. I’m definitely going to miss it.” In the end, these clubs teach us how to compete, how to work, how to overcome failure, and how to triumph in glory. These clubs teach us communication skills that will carry us into adulthood. These clubs teach us how to be team players and collaborate with our peers. They teach us how to be passionate about what we love.
take a huge step forward when it comes to speaking skills in his class. In college, Mr. Poolman was not sure what he wanted to do for a career. He switched several times, going from business to computer science to even religion at one point. He didn’t want to do business after struggling in microeconomics, and computer science’s long nights didn’t really appeal to him. He says this notion of a predetermined teaching career is a common misconception: “Many students think their teachers knew they wanted to teach from the get-go, but a lot of them don’t even know that they want to teach until they leave college.” So Mr. Poolman decided to travel the world, and he landed his first job teaching geometry at an international school in Costa Rica. From there, with his love of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture continuing to grow, he went to teach all levels of Spanish at the Trinity Pawling School, an all-boys boarding school in upstate New York. Then, after three years of exhausting work, he came to Haverford. Mr. Poolman believes that the toughest part of his job is discipline. He says, “The toughest job is setting the appropriate tone at
the beginning of the year. If you are too lenient, the students take advantage of you. But if you are too hard, the students begin to hate you. It’s really a fine line.” Again, Delaney believes Mr. Poolman does a good job in this regard. “I think his more laid back style in the classroom makes for a better learning environment than with stricter teachers, yet everyone in the class still has immense respect for him,” Delaney explains. This is the stumbling block for many teachers, yet Mr. Poolman seems to have it down pat, both as a teacher and the head coach of varsity squash. His Fords have risen to national elite status since his installment as head coach, finishing in the top five several times at the United States High School Squash Championships in New Haven, Connecticut. He cares about each of his players, yet demands maximum effort on every point. Fourth Former Jack Henderson, who has had Mr. Poolman both as a teacher and a coach, has the utmost respect for him in that regard. “I’ve gotten to know Mr. Poolman well in Spanish class and on the squash court,” says
Henderson. “He likes to joke around sometimes, but he is also dedicated and a hard worker. He’s taught me so many things that have helped me grow as a person, like discipline and leadership. I enjoy going to his class every day and working with him on the courts in the winter. He is a great squash coach, a great teacher, and an outstanding man.” Add father to the list of things Mr. Poolman does well; he and his wife are expecting a baby this April!
Mock Trial v. Debate: Which Club is for You? (cont.) Continued from the Previous Page In Mock Trial, students are under the tutelage of two very experienced and caring lawyers: Mr. Robert Graff and Mr. Frank DeSimone. The enthusiasm and passion of the lawyers are reflected in the work ethic of each individual. Senior mock trial captain Sam Bloch remarks, “I love learning from Mr. Desimone. He provides a lot of experience and insight that makes the preparation for the trial a lot of fun.” Pechet has also developed a close relationship with Mr. DeSimone: “We get to work with one of the best, if not the best, lawyers in Philadelphia, Mr. Frank DeSimone, who’s a charismatic, genuine guy. From my two years of doing Mock Trial, I have gained valuable insight into a career in law, and this experience has definitely got me considering becoming a lawyer when I grow up.” It seems that both Mr. Graff and Mr. DeSimone provide the students with inspiration, as they are considered very influential role models. Debate, similarly to Mock Trial, requires
Mr. Poolman: The Man, The Myth, The… Theologian? Manav Khandelwal ‘15 Mr. Andrew Poolman is one of Haverford’s many well-known faculty members, coaching soccer, squash, and teaching four Spanish classes (3 sections of Spanish III* and the Spanish V elective). A graduate of nearby Haverford College, Mr. Poolman began teaching at Haverford six years ago and has been here since. Known to his students as “Señor Poolman,” his goal as a Spanish teacher is to truly immerse his students in the language and the culture. In fact, he fully supports the annual trips to Spain and used to organize a trip to Costa Rica, which could come back to Haverford in the next year or two. He does not allow English to be spoken in the classroom, which helps the students improve their proficiency and gain confidence. Fourth Former Tim Delaney, who takes Spanish III* with Mr. Poolman, approves of that policy: “His policy of not using English in the classroom has really helped me improve my fluency as a speaker this year to the point where I am comfortable having a full conversation in Spanish.” This is the sentiment among many of his students, who believe they
Mr. Poolman with several of his students.
Index Staff
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Artist of the Issue: Sixth Former Tyler Ruch Joseph Solomon ‘13
The Index
February 2013
Arts
in the Dental Lab,” featured some unusual techniques for Ruch. “I sketched the entire piece which I usually don’t do. Usually I just do a wash, which is the covering of a canvas with loose paint and wiping the paint to create the light spots in the painting,” he explained, “I sketched it this time because of the complexity in the painting, and if I were to have a done a wash then I would not have been able to follow my marks.” So far, this painting is one
Sixth Former Tyler Ruch excels in the arts at Haverford, but he may be better known for his perhaps overzealous attitude regarding Winter Track as well as his severe addiction to caffeine. Ruch began in the arts in his Third Form year in 2D Foundation with Mr. Chris Fox and has continued in the program since then. Ruch saw his first two years of art with Mr. Fox and Mr. Matthew Frock as building blocks that have really allowed him to burst out of his shell towards the end of junior year and into senior year. What is special about Ruch is that he is the consummate artist. Ruch will go beyond the typical process of painting by, for instance, modeling himself in various poses for reference images, creating homemade scenarios that are by no means easy to paint, as well as doing various studies in order to reach his goal. In addition, Ruch did multiple studies on his dogs during junior year before culminating in one of his better works of the year with his “Object Self-Portrait.” More notably in that painting, Ruch successfully incorporated a glass into the scene that he had also done many studies for as well. Furthermore, Ruch also completed a “Scientific Study” portrait in which he incorporated Index Staff his passion for biology into Sixth Former and Artist of the Issue Tyler Ruch. his artwork by looking at a self-portrait differently when he of Ruch’s most cherished and highly regarded expressed muscle exertion in his face with works. various colors for an undertone of the skin. As he continues his career in the second Since then, Ruch has done some work over semester, Ruch says, “My next paintings are the summer and into senior year that he is very going to be random. I will tackle a complex proud of so far. glass painting, and then I will try and paint one While passing through the art room in the with more meaning. The end goal is to try and beginning of the year, one might have noticed complete as many different skilled paintings as a large canvas in the corner with a horse and possible from complex glass to claroscuro-type a set of teeth and wondered who was working paintings.” So far, Ruch has begun his complex of such an odd piece. In fact, Ruch had begun glass painting in which he is holding a work on the painting during the summer complexly shaped glass in front of a Christmas with the inspiration of his brother, Haverford tree with a various assortment of lights. It is by graduate Alex Ruch ‘07, who had sent him a no means an easy task, but Ruch is certainly up picture of a wax carved tooth set he used in to the challenge. dental school. The painting, known as “A Day
Haverford Begins Preparation for Empty Bowls Jack Henderson ‘15
upcoming bowl painting dates. The Haverford School and the Agnes Irwin School have striven to reduce hunger in the Philadelphia area for the last decade. Two years ago, Agnes Irwin hosted the Empty Bowls Supper and the supporters, who paid to eat soup from the bowls, brought the bowls home as a reminder that hunger is an ongoing fight. Empty Bowls is extremely significant because it increases awareness about the hungry children and families, not just in poverty-stricken areas, but also around the corner in our own community, while simultaneously raising money to provide services and food. The push to reduce hunger is an international movement, and our schools have challenged hunger on a local level. The Service Boards have set an aspiring goal of $8,000$10,000, which, with everyone’s support, they are confident is feasible to reach. Donations are due by April 5th and all proceeds go directly to organizations actively working on solving hunger in the Philadelphia area. Students will create sponsorship boards to be displayed at the event. Sponsorships of $250 or
Our year-long hunger awareness education program culminates with the Empty Bowls Supper. Students from The Haverford School and the Agnes Irwin School are organizing the event that takes place every other year. Volunteers, including Ceramics students, make handcrafted ceramic bowls to be used during the Empty Bowls supper. The bowls are sold along with a ticket to attend the supper, which raises money for local hunger partners and advocates for those who are challenged by hunger and homelessness. The Service Boards at both schools are supporting the Empty Bowls Supper on Sunday, April 14 at 5:00 p.m. in the Haverford School’s Wilson Hall community room and art studios. The evening will consist of a soup dinner, a student artwork display, a silent auction, and an Open Mic Night. The event is open to all members of The Haverford School and The Agnes Irwin School community, and any donors. The Service Boards have organized committees to handle each aspect of the event thoroughly and thoughtfully. The committee for education has compiled an ongoing teaser campaign and organized the posters, video, and assembly with a special speaker promoting the Empty Bowls event. The T-shirt and poster committee has designed a T-shirt and is soliciting a Index Staff Ceramics students working for the Empty Bowls project. sponsor to underwrite the cost. above are Gold Level, $175 is a Silver Level The committees have also solicited sponsors Sponsorship, and $100 or less are Bronze for the supper as well as raffle items. A silent Level Sponsorships. However, donations of auction has also been created with the items to any amount are greatly appreciated. be announced. Leading up to the event, there will be days The Service Boards have also been tasked open to members of the Haverford and Agnes with organizing the bowls that will be sold Irwin communities to help build and paint the at the event. Many bowl-painting days have bowls that will be used at the event. If you, occurred, including on MLK Day, a family or someone you know, would like to support painting day on February 23rd, and a faculty Empty Bowls with a donation or to volunteer, and staff bowl-painting day on March 19th. please contact Ms. Loos, Director of Service Stay tuned on Form Facebook pages for Learning, in her office in the Upper School.
Haverford’s Take on the Oscar’s: Who Should Have Won Jackson Simon ‘15 Best Picture nominations: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty My Pick: Argo The frontrunners in this category are Lincoln and Argo. Both movies are adapted based upon historical events: one is almost universally known, and the other just recently declassified. Directed by Ben Affleck, Argo draws the audience into the thrill of the plot. The movie is interactive with the viewer; the intensity and tone of the plot translate into the emotions of the audience members. The story of the hostage situation in Iran is taken to a whole new, never before seen level. This drama will surely win the critics’ choice as best picture.
chooses to accentuate the process of passing the 13th amendment. He portrays the difficulty of politics at the time while encouraging audience members to voice their opinion and fight for our American ideals of liberty and equality.
draw the audience into the depth and intricacies of the plot. Her loud quarrels with colleagues, skills in manipulating prisoners and confidence about her inferences are the highlights of her performance.
Best Actor nominations: Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln Hugh Jackman in Les Misérables Joaquin Phoenix in The Master Denzel Washington in Flight My pick: Daniel Day-Lewis Daniel Day-Lewis is transformed into the character of Lincoln; he is immersed in the historic role as he himself lives Lincoln’s life; he walks with Lincoln’s lumbering hunch, he argues with Lincoln’s passion, and he speaks in Lincoln’s genuine, intelligent, articulate, and deep voice.
Best Director nominations: Amour: Michael Haneke Beasts of the Southern Wild: Benh Zeitlin Life of Pi: Ang Lee Lincoln: Steven Spielberg Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell My pick: Steven Spielberg Spielberg is the ultimate director in cinema. His movies are guaranteed to induce drama, excitement, fear, and nervousness. He has made yet another masterpiece film with Lincoln. Speilberg chooses to isolate a specific period in time in Lincoln’s presidency. He
Best Actress nominations: Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook Emmanuelle Riva in Amour Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild Naomi Watts in The Impossible My pick: Jessica Chastain Jessica Chastain plays the character who engenders the plan to assassinate Osama Bin Laden. Through torture, exploitation of intelligence, technological brilliance, and her own mental ingenuity, she is able to
Best Visual Effects nominees: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Life of Pi Marvel’s The Avengers Prometheus Snow White and the Huntsman My Pick: Life of Pi Life of Pi could possible be the most aesthetically-pleasing movie ever made. The visuals are gorgeous, whether it is in the mysterious Zoo in Pondicherry or the epic waves, lightning, and wind of the storm that sunk the cargo ship. As Pi travels across the Atlantic on his small life boat with Richard Parker, the audience is captivated by the sunset reflections along the water. Best Original Song “Before My Time” from Chasing Ice “Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from Ted “Pi’s Lullaby” from Life of Pi “Skyfall” from Skyfall “Suddenly” from Les Misérables My Pick: “Skyfall” The Bond films have consistently been acclaimed for the music and visuals of the
Lincoln, which has been nominated for 3 awards.
soletron.com
opening scene. Adele’s lyrics and voice match the tone of the movie and prepare the audience for the thrill of 007.
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The Index
Sports
February 2013
Swimming Sees Surprising Improvements Over Last Year Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16, a swimmer on this year’s very successful team, dicusses how the team was able to surpass low expectations after last year’s record-breaking season. Kenny Fitzpatrick ‘16
After the spectacular season the Fords’ swim team produced last season, no one could have predicted they would do it again. Not even Sixth Formers like Jack Kling thought they could. Asked about his expectations for the season, he said: “I wasn’t expecting too much at the beginning of this year. Third at Eastern’s is an unbelievable accomplishment, and after losing all the Sixth Formers from last year, a repeat wasn’t likely.” Going into this year the Fords lost nine Sixth Formers, four of whom were AllAmericans, and the roster was comprised mostly of young aspiring swimmers. However, the Fords proved that success is not only based upon who you have but how many you have. In other words, unlike last year when the Fords had a small compact roster beefed up with talent, this year they had a much larger roster that heavily depended on not only the upperclassmen but the underclassmen. The Fords did not just have a good “rebound” season, they had a just as good, if not better regular season. How? The Fords’ record at the end of this year was 5-1 (3-1 in the InterAc): their best dual meet record since 1965. What was it last year? A lesser 4-2. On top of this, several records that were established last season were once again toppled this year. Now, one may ask: “How did they do it considering the amount of losses they
were forced to endure?” The answer lies within two main concepts: hard work and leadership. All three of these concepts were consistently incorporated day in and day out in the swimming pavilion, and the end result was incontrovertible. It all seems so easy, right? Although one would like to imagine this, it is not easy. These two concepts were needed by each individual swimmer, every day of the week throughout the season. For example, the team was forced to embrace this “hard work” with two to three hour practices Monday through Saturday every week of the long season. These grueling workouts even included the winter break that many think of as “relaxation.” For the swimmers, all they see ahead is not the sand and ocean of a vacation but just blocks and a pool. In fact, winter break practices are specifically designed by the Fords’ trio of coaches, Sean Hansen, Brendan Jones, and Kevin Van Such, to be even more physically demanding for the swimmers. When asked about the hard work swimmer’s are must put in during the season, Fourth Former swimmer and key asset to the squad, Ben Nelligan responded, “Swimming is one of those sports that you get out what you put in. So you have to push yourself to become the best swimmer you can possibly be.” The concept of leadership was also a very difficult aspect of success to conquer, especially with a sport like swimming. The difficulty is shown on this with a team like Haverford’s: dominated by Fifth
The 2012-13 Haverford Swimming & Diving team.
Formers, Fourth Formers, and Third Formers, the Fords are merely graduating five Sixth Formers, including manager Fisher Pressman. However, although the number of Sixth Formers was few, their presence as suitable leaders for the team was felt by each and every swimmer and was needed in order to build a stronger team. In order to sharpen their leadership skills, the Fords’ Captains Sixth Formers JJ House, Jimmy Jameson, and Pat Somers participated in a leadership class run by Mr. Jay Wright and Mr. Bill Brady. This class helped the captains to learn what a leader actually is and how to lead a team. The class certainly impacted the swimming captains because day in and day out they consistently urged every swimmer to break that boundary, the boundary of pain. This did not only include the swimming pool,
Mr. Jim Roese
however, and the captains did not take no for an answer when it was time for the team lifting session. Although the Sixth Formers were the foundation of this leadership, one must understand that there is no “I” in team. The Fords’ swimming squad demonstrated this beautifully. If a Sixth Former was not able to attend a practice or meet, there was always someone ready to fill his shoes. If a Sixth Former was sick for a meet, someone always stepped up to the blocks for him. This was very significant because it not only showed the kind of depth the Fords had but also showed the fact that every swimmer was willing to step up. This was also coincidentally one of the many aspects that the squad last year lacked and was perhaps the most significant factor of the more superior season this one held.
Athlete of the Issue: Jameson Breaking More Records Sam Dyer ‘15 For this month’s athlete of the issue, Sam Dyer ‘16 sat down with swimming captain Jimmy Jameson to discuss his swimming career, both his past and his future plans. Haverford Index: How has the adjustment been from New Trier [Jimmy’s old school] swimming to Haverford swimming? Jimmy Jameson: Personally, the practices have less frequent but more intense. There has been more of a focus on technique instead of only yardage. Our coaches are more concerned with each individual’s success. HI: When did you start swimming, and when did you first become a serious swimmer? JJ: I started at 6 years old. However, I first became serious in 8th grade. My friends were stepping up their swimming, so I did too.
HI: What has really stood out to you about Haverford? JJ: To me, the school’s good sense of community stands out. Everybody is pretty supportive. HI: What goals did you set for yourself in the pool when you first came to Haverford JJ: When I first came here my goals weren’t too high or specific. This year I have been looking at the records because I wanted to take them down. The goal times junior nationals have motivated me as well. HI: What do you do that puts you at the next level? JJ: For me, intensity in practice is the most important thing. I always try as hard as I possibly can at as many practices as I can. I have a big desire to compete and perform at my best.
HI: You have a number of records. Which one of you most proud of? JJ: I would probably say the 100M back. Breaking Andrew Helber’s record (59.73 seconds) was pretty satisfying. He is a great competitor, so taking that record off the board was a great feeling. HI: How do you see our team compared to other teams you’ve been on? What makes the Haverford swim team special? JJ: Everybody on our team understands that it’s not just the top swimmers that matter. Every single person knows they count. Even the guys in lane 5 try their hardest. The effort is always there. HI: Besides swimming, what else do you enjoy? JJ: Mostly just hanging out. I like playing tennis and other sports to give myself a break.
My offseason is pretty much whenever I’m not in the pool, which isn’t often. Mostly it’s just finding things to occupy time. HI: What colleges are you looking at for next fall? JJ: Currently, I am looking at Emory, Georgetown, UNC, Michigan, Penn, and Tulane. HI: Where do you think Haverford is going to place at Easterns? JJ: I’ll go with 5th, but we’re hoping for 4th. The top teams are very good, but we have a chance to get 4th or 5th this year.
Easterns for Swimming and Diving were held on February 22-23 at La Salle High School. This interview was conducted before these championships.
Baseball 2013 Preview: Interview with Matt Galetta Drew Sterman ‘16 interviews Sixth Former and Haverford College recruit to find out about the upcoming baseball season. There are high hopes for the team this year. Drew Sterman ‘16
As winter ends and the spring comes in, the 2013 baseball season nears. There are many questions looming over the Fords’ Baseball team. I sat down with Sixth Former Matt Galetta, a commit to play baseball for Haverford College next year, to talk about the upcoming season. Drew Sterman (DS): Thanks for being here, Matt. Matt Galetta (MG): No problem. DS: Are there higher expectations set for this season compared to other seasons? MG: I wouldn’t say so. We have had recent success on the diamond, at least since I’ve been here. Every year the expectations are set high, either to win Inter-Acs or even States. But I think we can fulfill those expectations and win. DS: Will this team make a threat to be Inter-Ac champions?
MG: Yeah, I think that the down year for Malvern will really help our chances. We’ve got three returning senior pitchers on the staff this season, which we will be a huge factor. We can definitely win the Inter-Acs this year. DS: Is this a strong senior class that can lead the younger players? MG: Yeah. The underclassmen are going to be a huge factor if we want to win this season, and we seniors know they are capable of doing it. DS: Which Inter-Ac school poses as the biggest obstacle to a title this season? MG: Chestnut Hill, they have got a good pitching staff who have proven themselves in the Inter-Ac. And you always have Malvern Prep. They always have been contenders and our rivals when it comes to baseball. But we should be able to come out on top and win the Inter-Ac championship. DS: As a senior, is there a motivational aspect of this season to go out with a bang? MG: Definitely. I’ve been on Varsity since I was a sophomore. This is my last season as a
Ford. And now it is my turn to lead this very talented team. We know what we can do and that we can win. We want to win Inter-Acs and even states. DS: Are there a few specific games or players that we should especially keep our eye on this upcoming season? MG: [Sixth Former] Pat Valentine, who is committed to Holy Cross. He is a very dominant pitcher. [Sixth Former] Steve Fitzgerald, who has been a consistent starter on the Varsity team, should produce well and we can expect big things from him. An underclassmen to watch would be [Fourth Former] Kevin McGowan, who has already shown that he can produce. There are also a few big games this year. Chestnut Hill is obviously a huge Inter-Ac game. You always want to beat Episcopal Academy. Another game to watch is when we play Germantown Academy, who has a pitcher that was on Team USA. That will be an interesting game. The upcoming season should be a good one that will have its challenges just like any other one. DS: Thanks a lot for this interview. MG: No problem.
Sixth Former Joseph Solomon in a 2012 game.
Mr. Jim Roese
Page 10
The Index
Sports
February 2013
Fords’ Focus: Haverford’s Newest Sports Column Editor-in-Chief Manav Khandelwal profiles Haverford’s Sixth Form athletic recruits for the first installment of Fords’ Focus. Manav Khandelwal ‘15
Welcome to The Index’s newest column, Fords Focus. As you may have noticed, this new monthly piece does not reside in the columns section as others do; rather, it will be a sports-centric piece focused on a unique aspect of Haverford athletics. This month’s topic is senior commits, of which Haverford has 24 (in nine different sports). Let’s start with the football team, which produced six college commits (five to Division I schools). Captain Matt Galambos heads this group; the linebacker, tight end, and running back was Haverford’s best player during his senior season and is headed to the University of Pittsburgh, one of the stronger D-I programs in the nation. His future outlook is clear: “Every kid’s dream is to make it to the NFL and that is the ultimate goal but I want to focus on getting better as a football player each and every year at Pitt and at the same time maximize my opportunity for success in the classroom.” He certainly did so at Haverford, earning several All-Delco honors, All-State honors this season, and being selected to play in Pennsylvania’s prestigious Big 33 football game this year as well. Just this past season, he racked up 818 rushing yards and six touchdowns while adding 87.5 tackles and five sacks from his OLB position. He will be playing inside linebacker and possibly halfback in college. Kicker Aron Morgan also made his presence known while at Haverford. Morgan, who will play at the University of Pennsylvania, is one of the top kickers in the nation. If you discount EA Day, where the conditions for kicking were pitiful, he was 8-for-12 (66.6%) on the season. Chris Sailer, who reviews special teams prospects, said the following of Morgan: “Aron is simply a fantastic kicker. He has a big time leg and hits a D1 ball off the ground already. One of the best in the nation. A fine young man with a great attitude and work ethic.” Morgan speaks fondly of his Haverford career, saying, “My Haverford career is where everything started. They gave me an opportunity to succeed. Put in a really great situation where my coaches had confidence in me. And I had great teammates to help me be successful.” Other members of the football Class of 2013 include DB Chris Morgan (Colgate), T Sema’j Reed (Temple), DE Stewart Denious (Middlebury), and CB Hannibal Mathis (Stetson). Morgan in particular is very excited about the future, speaking candidly about what is in store for him: “As a passionate football player, everyone’s ultimate goal is to reach the highest level possible. Whether its four years of college ball or beyond; I just want to have fun playing the game I love.” He was second on the team in tackles and led the team with four interceptions. He and Reed both played varsity basketball as well and were key
contributors to this year’s team. Haverford’s soccer team also has a few guys who will play soccer past their Haverford careers. That group of three is headlined by Georgetown commit Brett Campbell, not only the best player on the Fords, but the best player in the entire state of Pennsylvania according to ESPN. Campbell had 66 goals combined his last two seasons, earning All-State and AllDelco honors in both campaigns. The group is rounded out by midfielders Carlo DeMarco (UMass) and Danny Rubenstein (Ohio Wesleyan). Both speak highly of their Haverford careers. “What I take away from my Haverford soccer career is the dedication to hard work and the principle of family,” says DeMarco. “Whether it is on or off the field, everything I do in life I want to put my best effort forward. And being a family is something we preached all season. Being there for one of your teammates when they are down is essential, and in order to accomplish any sort of goals unity is needed.” Rubenstein adds, “Each year, coming back to play for Haverford was always a great way to start the year. With the incorporation of Coach Brady at the beginning of my junior year, he made us focus and strive to be a family, which showed on and off the field, and ultimately led to our success.” Finally, for fall sports, we come to golfer Scott Jaster, who is Dartmouthbound. Jaster was by far the Inter-Ac’s best golfer this past season, ranking 1st by a lot with an overall 2693-10 record. A captain, he proved that he can compete with the best of est by finishing 12th in the Polo Golf Junior Classic. Of his Dartmouth career, Jaster says, “One of the factors that contributed to my decision to commit to Dartmouth was that their program Kicker Aron recently produced Morgan one of the best amateurs in the country that will most likely become a
Manav Khandelwal ‘15
professional. That being said, my only goals right now are to be the best college golfer I can be. Whether or not that leads into a
Exciting Season as Wrestling Says Goodbye to Strong Sixth Form Class Ben Quan ‘15 The Fords Wrestling Team had a successful year this year with a 9-5 record. The Fords wrestled many intense matches, such as against St. Joseph’s Preparatory. Along with the many dual meets, the Fords wrestled in a lot of tournaments, including the James Wood Memorial Tournament in Virginia. The captains, Sixth Former Vince Bellwoar, Fifth Former Nick Gallo, and Fourth Former Lj Barlow, all had extremely successful records this year, along with many other wrestlers on the team. By the end of the season, Third Former Freddy Corradetti and Barlow had both scored over 100 points for the team each. Fourth Former Louie Brown says, “I feel like
the season had gone pretty well. We’ve had some good results, and we have improved a lot and come closer together as a friend group.” To end the dual meets on a high note, the Fords beat O’Hara at home, which was also senior night honoring Bellwoar and fellow Sixth Formers Ben Grobman and Sixth Former Sam Turner for all of their great achievements throughout their Upper School wrestling career. Best of luck to all the Sixth Formers who will graduate and move on to college, and good luck to Grobman, who plans to continue wrestling in college. The last two wrestling events for this season are States and Nationals. Every wrestler will be training rigorously with the varsity team to help them do their best at these events.
professional golf career, I will be happy.” Haverford’s winter teams, who mostly consist of younger stars, especially basketball and wrestling, have had no commits yet. We could see several in the coming weeks, however; for example, All-American swimmer Jimmy Jameson is close to making a decision on where he wants to swim. That takes us to crew, a year-round sport. Haverford’s crew team has historically been excellent, but this year was a completely different story altogether. It’s three commits are all going to excellent schools, showing prowess both academically and athletically. They are Gerard Hoeltzel (UPenn), Wick Egan (MIT), and Max Freundlich (Stanford). All three plan on rowing recreationally rather than professionally after college, but as Freundlich remarks, “I’ll probably be spending a lot of hours out on the river training during my college life. I think for the most part I’ll be defined as a rower.” Egan, who was accepted early by MIT but could switch schools in the spring, says Haverford rowing was “the best experience of my life.” Let’s move on to the spring. We’ll start with lacrosse, in which the school has had a ridiculous amount of success over the past six or seven years. All four commits will be playing at Division I schools, including two at Ivy League institutions. They are attackman Gavin McBride (Princeton) and goalie Jake Landman (Dartmouth). McBride, a strong candidate for co-captain in the
upcoming season, has been nothing but stellar in a Haverford uniform. As a junior, McBride recorded 33 goals and 19 assists, standing out even among a star-studded senior class. Landman, a two-year starter at goalie, recorded a 58 save percentage last season on his way to earning First-Team All-Inter Ac honors. Of his Haverford career, Landman says, “Haverford lacrosse has taught me to be a leader on the field, while also being able to develop a family mentality among the team. Coach Nostrant and Coach Loving have taught me to work hard both academically and off the field. Coach Nostrant always says how schoolwork comes first and I believe that mentality has made our team closer because we rely on each other in school.” The other two are midfielder Timmy Brooks (Richmond) and attackman Kip Taviano (Furman). Brooks, who scored 9 goals and added 10 assists as a junior, is looking forward to life at Richmond: “Athletics will create structure in my life at college. Everything will revolve around lacrosse. My classes, friends, and social life will depend on my lacrosse schedule and
lacrosse in general at Richmond.” Taviano did not play much on Haverford’s deep roster, but did have the game-winner against McDonogh and will likely start this season. He has realistic yet encouraging goals for his college career: “As a lacrosse player at Furman my goal really is just to play, I love playing lacrosse and hopefully I will have the opportunity to play early in my career. It’s kind of hard to set goals and personal accolades when lacrosse is such a team sport, and everyone is involved in your success as much as you are involved in theirs.” Now we come to baseball, where Steve Fitzgerald (Lehigh), Matt Galetta (Haverford) and Pat Valentine (Holy Cross) will be representing Haverford at the collegiate level. Fitzgerald, who will be playing pitcher and outfield at Lehigh, will relish the past four years: “I will always remember my Haverford career. We won the Inter Ac my freshman year, the PAISAA State Championship my sophomore year, and we came in second in the tournament my junior year. Haverford’s baseball program has helped me develop a lot as a player, and I can’t wait to start my senior season.” In 2012, Fitzgerald led the team with a .379 (best among eligible players) average, 3 home runs, 37 RBIs, 37 runs scored, and a .552 slugging percentage. He also appeared in 39 games, posting a 1.75 ERA. Valentine will be pitching at Holy Cross. While he doesn’t plan on being a professional, if he does get the opportunity, he says it would be “crazy to pass up something like that.” He joined the Fords just a year ago, but dominated opposing teams. In 27 appearances, he posted an impressive 0.36 ERA with six complete games, and four shutouts. He also struck out a team-high 49 batters. Up next in the spring is tennis, where Haverford’s sole commit is the Bucknell-bound Jordan Lieb. As Haverford’s No. 1 singles player in 2011-2012, he went 6-5 against some of the region’s top competition and is ranked 7th in Pennsylvania by tennisrecruiting.com. He also won All-Delco honors. His goals for college are clear-cut: “My goal as a tennis player at this point in my life is to compete at the highest level in college tennis, which is to play in the NCAA tournament.” He does not yet know whether he will play singles or doubles next year. Finally, we come to track. Andrew Wiener (Bucknell) is currently the only commit, but Lucas Elek may join him in the near future. Wiener will run the 200m, 400m, and relays at Bucknell. Unlike many other athletes, Wiener already has a career path in mind, something related to his love of track: “Academically, being a runner exposes/interests you to the human body so from that I plan on majoring in biology and possibly physical therapy/ kinesiology/exercise science in the future.” First, he’ll look to pursue a successful career in track; his personal records are 22.60 for the 200 and 50.21 seconds for the 400, and he was a national champion in the sprint relay. There you have it folks; Haverford Class of 2013’s senior commits. It’s an impressive bunch, and they are all primed to continue their success and represent Haverford well at an even higher level.
Winter Track Sees Surprises Drew Sterman ‘16
As the winter season winds down, so does another season of success for the winter track team. Led by Sixth Formers Lucas Elek, Andrew Wiener, Matt Galetta, and Michael Zivik, winter track has had many medalists in previous meets. Elek has qualified for states in the 800 meter dash, and Wiener has qualified for the 400 meter dash. However, not all of the success has come at the feet of the upperclassmen. A strong class of Third Formers have had success since the beginning of the season. In only the first meet of the season, a 4 x 200 meter relay team consisting of Third Former Daniel Kielty, Third Former Max Arias, Third Former Nick Biden, and Fourth Former James Greytok won the race, and even set the district record for the event. This was unusual and unexpected success by underclassmen that surprised everyone. It soon became the norm as Third Formers were placing in, medaling, and even winning races consistently throughout the season. Most recently. the 4 x 800 meter relay with Elek, Fourth Former Alex Keszeli, Fourth Former Alex Kim, and Arias qualified for the
state championships by beating the qualifying time by more than five seconds. They also obliterated Haverford’s Winter Track 4 x 800 record by a whopping 21 seconds and beat the outdoor track record by nine seconds. The more interesting fact is that this was the first time these four gentlemen had ever raced together in any capacity. Coach Bryan Skelly remarks, “This is the most successful winter track season we have had in a while.” Indeed it has been. The Haverford winter track runners are also competing in the state championships as well. The state championships are on Saturday, February 23rd, at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. The Association encompasses little schools and big schools, private, parochial, and public schools from around Pennsylvania into one big meet. This is where the best runners in the state convene to see who really is the best of the best. And with the previous success the Haverford runners have had this season, they should be able to place in the state championships or, even better, win them. Hopefully, the Sixth Formers will leave a good legacy behind for the underclassmen and will retire their Haverford track flats on a high note.
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The Index
Sports
February 2013
Squash: Comprehensive Profile of Varsity Roster
Squash players Jack Henderson ‘15 and Arjun Dravid ‘15 summarize the team’s season and offer analysis and a description of each player on the Haverford varsity roster. Jack Henderson ‘15 and Arjun Dravid ‘15
The squash team had high hopes heading into this season. They were looking to win the Inter-Ac and MASA, which is the high school squash league of the Mid Atlantic, and end the excruciatingly long winless streak at those events. The team ended up in third place in both leagues behind SCHA and Episcopal Academy. Head Coach Mr. Andrew Poolman and the team also had ambitious goals when they sent their Varsity and JV teams to Nationals, held this year in Hartford, Connecticut. However, due to Winter Storm Nemo, Nationals was cancelled and the team’s season ended abruptly. Many of the Sixth Formers were very frustrated that they missed their last chance to bring home a national championship. Many of the younger players also were disappointed that they missed their first opportunity to represent Haverford on the national stage. The Varsity team finished their season with 10 wins and 6 losses, a respectable record considering their strong opponents: Episcopal Academy, SCHA, and the Brunswick School. Led by Sixth Form captain Josh Collins, the JV team finished undefeated. In fact, throughout the entire season the team lost only 5 matches all year. JV Coaches Mr. Sam Walters and Ms. Rebecca Smedley pushed the team hard throughout the season, which largely contributed to their outstanding performance. The team also brought in a local squash coach, Mr. Luis Sanchez, to help out the Middle School and Upper School squash program. The entire squash team cannot thank Mr. Poolman, Mr. Walters, Ms. Smedley, and Mr. Sanchez enough for all the time they have generously put in to help the team perform its best. As the season comes to a close, we have offered some in-depth analysis for each player on the Varsity squash team that was headed for Nationals in Connecticut. 1. Sean Hughes (Third Former) Record: 3 wins, 1 loss A transfer from rival Episcopal Academy, Sean is one of the top young talents in the country. Unable to play any Inter-AC matches (due to the Inter-Ac transfer rule), Hughes was only able to play in a few out of league matches (Brunswick, Poly Prep, and MASA).
He had a 3-1 record this year, with his one loss coming against Brunswick’s #1, Hayes Murphy. Sean’s abilities are incredible. He is extremely quick and stronger than his small frame shows. He has incredible touch for his drops and a stamina that keeps him going in long matches. With Sean being eligible for Inter-Ac play next year, expect an even more impressive record in future years. 2. Thomas Walker (Fifth Former) Record: 1 win, 8 losses The record for Thomas does not reflect his true capabilities. He had to play some of the best players in the country when he played #1 for all Inter-Ac matches. He is a very consistent player, who plays smart and rarely makes mistakes. He can go the distance and stick with his opponent shot for shot. He has a great ability to keep a level head and maintain his confidence even when playing the best players in the region, including the #4 player in the country, Episcopal’s Devon McLaughlin. 3. Ian Rothweiler (Fifth Former) Record: 4 wins, 5 losses A constant fixture in Haverford’s varsity lineup since 8th grade, Ian continued his strong play this year. His record is misleading, as he played in the #2 spot in all Inter-AC matches this year. Ian is extremely good at finishing points. Whether it be a down the line kill, a tight drop, or a fantastic nick, Ian is great at putting the ball away. 4. Jay Losty (Fourth Former) Record: 4 wins, 5 losses Part of Haverford’s Varsity since 8th grade, Jay ranked #13 in the Under 17 category in the US and has performed like one of the top players in the country. Jay’s 4-5 record could just as easily been 7-2. He had two 5-game losses to CHA and one tightly contested 4-game loss to EA, all of which could have gone his way. Jay uses his height to his advantage on the court. His commanding presence, his ability to stretch for tough shots, and his incredible fitness contribute to his overall game. Throw in the fact that he has
Henderson and senior Timmy Brooks.
great touch shots and powerful finishes, we can see that Jay has a bright future for Fords squash and beyond. 5. Drew Field (Sixth Former) Record: 5 wins, 7 losses As a Sixth Former Drew rose not only on the ladder, but in overall squash performance as well. Rising from the #9 spot last year to #5 this year, Field made his final year a memorable one. Playing as the #4 in the Inter-AC, Field played consistently good squash. Drew was a clear leader for the Fords, constantly spurring on the younger players with his advice and mentorship. On court he used his tall build to get to almost every shot and his tremendous strength to send opponents all over the court. The Fords will miss his leadership and dedication in the years to come. 6. Jason Shein (Sixth Former) Record: 6 wins, 5 losses Shein, a captain for his final year, also played a huge role on the team. Shein was a fantastic captain in encouraging not only the varsity players, but JV as well, to do their best. On court, Shein also had a fantastic year. He posted a winning record and could have had more wins, especially against EA, where he played two tightly contested four-game matches. His consistent ability to finish points, his athletic ability, and his warrior-like attitude made him a great player this year for the Fords.
7. Dylan Henderson (Fifth Former) Jim Roese Record: 9 wins, 3 losses A varsity veteran, Dylan had quite a solid year at the #7 spot. Playing #6 in the Inter-Ac matches, Dylan pulled out many impressive matches for the Fords. Considering that his three losses came against some of the best teams in the country (CHA and Brunswick), Dylan’s impressive record should be held with some respect. Dylan’s quick speed, stamina, and fantastic touch made him a great player in the #7 spot for Haverford. The Haverford team will be extremely strong next year. Losing captains Jason Shein and Drew Field will certainly hurt the team, as will the departure of other Sixth Formers, Timmy Brooks, Peter Thompson, Josh Collins, and Josh Pau, who also played a major part in the team. However, Haverford’s strong rising Sixth Form class, which includes varsity players, Ian Rothweiler, Thomas Walker, Dylan Henderson, and Jon Ruth, looks to lead the Fords into battle next year. This class also makes up a large portion of the JV team as well with Henry Ortmeyer, Will Ye, and Ryan Hughes. With Sean Hughes eligible to play in all Inter-Ac matches next year, the team looks to rebound from this somewhat disappointing season and regain its status of being among the nation’s elite squash programs.
Successful Hockey Team Now Saying Goodbye to Dedicated Sixth Form Class In a piece written before the finals vs Hun, Senior captain Austin Merritt ‘13 details Haverford’s season, including two wins over EA and a PAISAA finals run. able to put the puck in the back Austin Merritt ‘13
The Fords hockey team is skating strong as they cut up their competition. Led by leading scorer Sam Bowen and Sixth Form captains Tyler Miller, Henry Brooks, DJ Conner, and Austin Merritt the squad finished their league play with only one loss and one tie. As I write this I am still coming off the adrenaline rush of our most recent victory against Academy of New Church in the Semi finals. The Fords are the number 2 seed and had a buy for the first two rounds of the playoffs. After our recent 9-4 victory against a third seeded ANC team they will be facing the number 1 seeded Hun School of Princeton who recently beat the 4thseeded Episcopal Academy 6-1 in their semi final game. Before the playoffs the Fords have been on a winning streak not having a loss since an early loss to the Hun School. They blew out Germantown and Springside Chestnut Hill by double digits, blowing out SCHA twice. They also beat Pennington by double digits and beat Episcopal in decisive fashion twice; in the second game, the Fords scored early and often on their way to a 9-1 win. The Fords have been
of the net but goaltending by Fourth Former Otis Baker and Fifth Former Noah Cutler have helped them pull out big wins as well as the strong defense of Fifth Former Billy Seltzer and Fourth Former Brandon Vattima. Going into the Final game at the Hun School the Fords have nothing but confidence. Their coach, Mr. Tom Clark, has a system ready to beat the Hun School and every player is ready to pour their heart and talent on the ice. They won the championship when they were in the top of middle school in eighth grade, and the resilient seniors along with the incredibly talented class of underclassmen (led by Fourth Former Brendan Jacob and Third Former Vij Sivalingham) are ready to take down the Hun School to have a poetic finish as they leave their legacy on Haverford.
Sixth Former captain Hnery Brooks.
Mr. Jim Roese
Page 12
The Index
Sports
February 2013
Sophomore Sensation Shawn Alston Wins Inter-Ac MVP After covering the basketball team’s sensational run, Manav Khandelwal ‘15 concludes the season by discussing Shawn Alston’s prestigious award. Manav Khandelwal ‘15
The men’s basketball Coaches all-Inter-Ac teams were released last Sunday, February 17th, and Haverford’s Levan “Shawn” Alston, a Fourth Former, made the first team and also won himself co-MVP with Germantown Academy’s Julian Moore. Basically, the rest of the league’s coaches unanimously consider Alston to be one of the league’s top two players. Alston, who started every game this season at point guard for the Fords, led the league
Alston sinks a three-pointer against Shipley.
with 16.3 points and 6.4 assists per game. He shot the ball very well, at 43.9% from the field and 85.8% from the line. He also had nine 20-point games this season, most among all players in the Inter-Ac. Alston, who was Haverford’s sixth-leading scorer last year, has improved tremendously over the course of the year. As his play continued to improve, as did his confidence, and despite being a sophomore and a tad smaller than the average guard, he stayed aggressive and led Haverford’s balanced offensive attack. This award means everything to Alston. “This award means a lot to me. It shows how much the teams in the Inter-Ac league respect my game,” he says. “But this award also is a testament to how much harder that I have to work. I am very grateful for the award and I am ‘beyond blessed’.” He truly has Tim Stay worked extremely hard, improving
all areas of his game. He is an excellent floor general, a top-flight passer, an innate scorer, and his defense has also become much better thanks to improved footwork and agility. He did a little bit of everything for Haverford this season, helping keep the team afloat even when his teammates struggled or missed time due to injury or ineligibility. After Alston scored 15 points in overtime to help Haverford comeback and defeat Malvern earlier this season, head coach Henry Fairfax said the following about his young star: “Being a young, talented guy, Shawn is the one player that the opponents players key in on. Being patient is something I talk with him about everyday, and he was. Finally, with the game on the line, he was able to open things up and guide us to a win.” Alston himself appreciates what Coach Fairfax has done to help him become the player he is today. “Coach Fairfax and the team put me in a position to succeed because they pushed me in practice. Fax always says if we prepare at a high level than the games will be easy. And that’s what we did.” The Fords finished 17-9 on the season, with a 6-4 record in the Inter-Ac during the regular season. That was good for second in the league, and the team also made it to the semifinals of the PAISAA state tournament thanks to two big games from Alston. He scored 17 in the win over ANC and a gamehigh 21 to help them outlast Westtown two days later. They would fall, however, in the semis to Germantown Academy. That was the third and final time the two teams played, and the third time Haverford lost. Alston, however, is excited for next season. “I believe that we will improve and build on
what we did this year,” he says. “I do believe that we can win the league outright but it will be a fight.” He has reason to be excited: Penn Charter will be losing big man Mike McGlinchey and GA, the league’s
Alston.
Mr. Jim Roese Graphic by Manav Khandelwal
powerhouse, will be losing four-fifths of its entire starting lineup; that is four Division I basketball players. You simply cannot replace that in one season. Expect the more mature and experienced Fords to really make some noise in the lnter-Ac in 2013-2014 while Alston makes an even case for MVP for the second straight year. Haverford had two other players receive recognition on the all-Inter-Ac second team, senior big man Sema’j Reed and junior swingman Eric Anderson. Reed averaged 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while Anderson was third on the team with 11.1 points per game.
Huge Squash National Championships Canceled: Students Respond Jay Losty ‘15 Ian Rothweiler ‘14 A member of Haverford’s varsity squash team, Jay Losty discusses Nemo, its effect on nationals, and it’s effect on the entire squash team. Squash High School Nationals is an annual event in which teams from across the country come together to compete to be National Champions. The event was initiated in 2005 with just sixteen teams competing in one division. Now almost two hundred teams compete within five divisions, totaling almost 2,000 players. The 2013 Nationals was scheduled as a three day tournament, from February 8th-10th in Hartford Connecticut, and the intended venues were Trinity College, Wesleyan University, Loomis Chaffee School, Avon Old Farms School and Miss Porter’s School. The format of the tournament was five draws, each with about 16 teams in boy’s and girl’s divisions. Seven players contest for each team, with the team that captures four or more matches advancing to next round. Each match is best of five games with first player to reach 11 points with a margin of two or more points winning the game. Early in the week before Nationals, the draws were posted, which were determined by the regular season results. The Brunswick School, located in Greenwich, Connecticut, claimed the title of number one seed. Brunswick had an impressive undefeated season heading into nationals. The Episcopal Academy was slotted as number two seed. Episcopal is a four-time defending champion, and had high hopes of keeping their streak alive. The third seed was the Belmont Hill School, from Boston Massachusetts. Seeded fourth was Chestnut Hill Academy. Haverford A team was seeded fifth. Haverford’s lineup consisted of Sean Hughes (Third Form), Thomas Walker (Fifth Form), Ian Rothweiler (Fifth Form), Jay Losty (Fourth Form), Drew Field (Sixth Form), Jason Shein (Sixth Form), and Jon Ruth (Fifth Form). The Haverford B team claimed second seed in division two, behind Rye Country Day. Their line up was Justin Shah (Third Form), Jimmy Tricolli (Third Form), Henry Ortmeyer (Fifth Form), Will Means (Third Form), Josh Collins (Sixth Form), Jack Soslow (Fourth Form), Will Ye
(Fifth Form), and Peter Thompson (Sixth Form). This was an event which had been anticipated since the beginning of the school year. “Blood, toil, tears and sweat” is how Prime Minister Winston Churchill may have described the 2012-2013 Haverford season. Emotional victories, close defeats, virtuous leadership from captains Shein, Field, and Collins and lessons taught by Coach Andrew Poolman, all built up to the preparation for Nationals. Throughout the week before the event, the entire team was instilled with the feelings of anticipation and excitement. Nationals meant everything for the squash team. It was a chance to prove yourself for your school and teammates, an opportunity to experience glory and hardship, a bonding experience for the team, and as always, the time to watch the Deerfield Girl’s team play. The Haverford squash team received devastating news on Thursday morning, February 7th: Nemo had claimed its first victim before even a single snowflake had fallen. Nationals were cancelled due to the threat of a storm for the ages. Hartford was predicted to receive upwards of two feet of snow. While many of us doubted the veracity of the forecast and were stunned to hear that the highpoint of the squash year was ripped away from us based on a prediction, the storm actually hit Connecticut with greater ferocity than predicted and made travel virtually impossible. Coach Poolman adequately described the situation as “A really disappointing way to end the season after the boys worked the whole year to get to that point.” In the next several days, it was revealed to the team that no Nationals was to be held this year due to scheduling issues. While Haverford was denied the opportunity to outperform its seeding this year, there is great hope for next year as the team is young and many of the top players are returning. This looks to be Haverford’s best chance to capture its first official National Squash Championship.
Dylan Henderson, a Fifth-Form varsity member.
The High School National Championships is what every Upper School squash player dreams of. Whether they are number one on the ladder or number sixteen, the excitement is still equally present. Unfortunately this year, due to the incredible conditions in the northeast, it was cancelled. With frightening weather forecasts predicting anywhere from 30 to 60 inches, proceeding to go up to the tournament seemed out of the realm of possibilities. Finally at around 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 7th, the day before the championship, an email was sent to all of the coaches participating explaining the much-needed but widely-criticized decision to cancel the championships. Shock spread amongst our team immediately, and we were all praying they were just rumors. Taking matters into my own hands, I looked on the US Squash website and subsequently found an article explaining their definite decision to cancel the tournament. To put this into context, this is the largest squash tournament in the world consisting of 1,500 players from 150 schools located all around the United States. The general consensus among players from various schools was
Jim Roese
outrage at the fact that a championship of this magnitude could be suddenly canceled and not rescheduled for a later date. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts, that is the harsh truth of the situation, and the Fords’ squash team is going to have to live to fight another day. As for next year there is a lot of optimism and confidence in the air. Episcopal Academy, nationally recognized for their accomplishment of four straight championships, is losing a whopping five Sixth Formers who are on their varsity squad. Thanks to the incredible depth of the Fords’ squash program, we are sadly waving goodbye to only two Sixth Formers, Jason Shein and Drew Field. For the past couple of years, the Haverford team has been teetering around the 5-8 ranking in the country, but for next year we truly think we can be the best team in the country. We do have our work cut out for us with teams such as Chestnut Hill Academy, Belmont Hill, and Brunswick, but achieving the top spot is far from out of reach. So as we may not have had a chance to make a statement about the strength of our team this year, next year we will strive to finally win MASA for the first time since 1998 and even bring home our first ever National Championship.
Page 13
The Index
Political Opinions
February 2013
How to Evaluate President Obama’s First Term Fairly
Politics section editor Matt Larson ‘14 looks at President Obama’s first term accomplishments from a liberal perspective. He takes a look at some of the laws and decisions that defined his first term and describes the strides the Democratic Party has taken over the past four years.
Osama bin Laden, who oversaw the tragic terror attacks on the World Trade Center which caused America to launch the
Matt Larson ‘14
Which political party has the advantage in the United States? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not the Republicans. The Democratic Party began more than 200 years ago as the Democratic-Republican Party, a response to the Federalist arguments of Alexander Hamilton. Since then, the party’s message has changed drastically, now being progressive in every sense of the word. Last year, Barack Obama, the President of the United States and face of the Democratic Party, defeated his Republican challenger Mitt Romney 51% to 47% (CNN). Right leaning pundits were quick to blame changing demographic lines, arguing that various groups of people vote in blocs and Romney simply did not do as good enough job appealing to those sections of the populace. Rush Limbaugh, among others, developed a new offensive persona for those that voted for Obama: “Low Information Voters.” These people were more concerned with celebrities than the country’s affairs (rushlimbaugh.com). But what if Obama did win 51% of the vote on his own merits? To know whether or not this is true, it is imperative that one looks at the major policies of his first term: healthcare reform, the stimulus, the economy, and foreign policy. First of all, we shall look at the most divisive piece of legislation passed in quite a while: the Affordable Care Act. Calling it socialized medicine or the failed European model and even saying it includes “death panels,” conservatives had a field day with this law and some argue that the Tea Party was born from opposition to it. However, their reaction could not have been more overblown. The law is focused primarily on those without healthcare as it seeks to provide medical services at little to no cost to these people. People will have access to preventative care, which includes free visits to hospitals/ outpatient centers for things like cancer screenings, vaccinations, and blood pressure tests. It allows patients to choose their own doctor and not be forced to get a referral for various medical services. Young adults up to twenty-six years old can stay on their parent’s plan and cannot be excluded from it due to pre-existing conditions, which must abolish the “dollar limit” set on it by healthcare providers (HealthCare.gov). While there are more benefits to the law, the point is that the Affordable Care Act actually helps and is not “socialized medicine” as the conservative talking heads would have everyone know. Obama never forced this law down anyone’s throats; it came from Congress (specifically the late Ted Kennedy) and went through a process that every bill goes through. The true triumph was when the Supreme Court, by a verdict of 5-4, upheld the law. In 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law, which is more commonly known as the stimulus. The stimulus invested over $800 billion into the US economy which according to the Congressional Budget Office raised the GDP and lowered unemployment by filling positions to do the necessary “shovel ready jobs” that the bill would allow (ABC). While the amount of impact diminished with the end of 2009, one has to understand that 2009 was probably the worst of the recession, so it was necessary to do something to curtail its effects. Of course, not all of
President Obama giving a speech.
USA Today the money was spent wisely. President Obama (left) with First Lady Michelle Obama (left) at his inauguration. The most notable example would say the stimulus was a success. of wasteful loan-giving was to Solyndra, Under President Obama, the national debt intervention in Afghanistan, has been a green energy company has gone up over $5 trillion (CBSNews/ tracked and killed under President Obama’s with an unsustainable DebtClock.org). There is a deficit run every administration. While there will be a business model that year under a non-existent budget. 8.5 million significant troop drawback, there are still went bankrupt soon people have left the workforce during Obama’s plenty of American soldiers that will stay in after (and taking first term for reasons unknown (Newsbusters. these countries. Another foreign policy success $535 million of org). So how can the president be viewed includes the killing of Osama bin Laden, which taxpayer money under a positive light regarding the economy was a high point in Obama’s term. Osama bin with them) after this? Well, the truth is in the numbers: Laden had been a high priority of the United (ABC). Yes, the unemployment rate has gone from 10.0% States’ to find for a number of years, and his $535 million during the height of the recession in 2009 to death gave the impression that the “job” was is no small 7.9% (bls.gov). Additional revenue is going to finally done. Recently, there have been two number. But it come into the government from the expiration controversies: the civil war in Libya and the represents less of the payroll tax cuts as well as cuts for those Benghazi scandal. Regarding the Libyan Civil than .0007% of all making over $450,000 a year to help pay War, it is commendable (even if you did not stimulus spending. down the deficit. The Dow has gone from a support the United States’ aid to the rebels) If the rest of the low of 7,000 to almost 14,000 at this writing that instead of taking a George W. Bush-type program was (MSN). While people may not be as financially approach with guns blazing into Iraq, Obama any basis to secure as they were four years ago, things are instead simply used a no-fly zone to impose go on, certainly better than what they were when international will in that country. Benghazi was I the recession was at its worst. Regarding the a terrible tragedy, and but was the president budget and debt, yes, that is the fault of both personally responsible? No. The offices should Congress and the President. Even though it have received more security if it had been is up to the President to submit a budget requested, but apparently Obama did not know to Congress, the Congress should make about these requests (whether that means the necessary amendments to it so Hillary Clinton is to blame is another matter). that it is feasible. With the highly Overall, one needs only to look at Obama’s partisan divide, however, this has record to see that he has had a successful not been able to happen. presidency. He has two clear policy victories Finally, a review of foreign in healthcare and the stimulus while a couple policy. Under Barack Obama, less noteworthy political triumphs in foreign the US has seen a significant policy and the economy (although he is still drawback in forces used in faring much better than his predecessor had). overseas combat. The war in Iraq Democrats have regained their momentum and, is officially over and the war in barring a major policy failure, will continue Afghanistan is officially ending their recent election success into the future. in 2014 (BarackObama.com).
FOR MORE POLITICS COVERAGE, VISIT HAVERFORDINDEX.COM. SECTION EDITORS ARE MATT LARSON ‘14 AND GREG BOYEK ‘14: CONTACT THEM TO WRITE AN ARTICLE. CHECK OUT PAGES 14 AND 15 FOR PIECES ON THE 2ND AMENDMENT, THE REPUBLICANS’ STANCE ON THE DEBT CEILING/FISCAL CLIFF, AND PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NEW CABINET SELECTIONS. Bloomberg
Page 14
The Index
February 2013
Politics
The Second Amendment, Under Fire, Dissected Here With the recent outbreak of gun violence and the consequent push for more regulation, Brendan Burns ‘15 profiles what is the most important Constitutional amendment for many. Brendan Burns ‘15
The topic of gun control is likely one that will define President Obama’s second term. In his first term, he had taken a very politically safe position on the issue throughout his Presidency; although he briefly mentioned favoring an Assault Weapons Ban during his 2008 and 2012 reelection campaigns, it was the Newtown shooting that prompted a response from the President. In a kneejerk reaction resulting from high emotions following the Newtown shooting, Obama took a firmer stand on gun control. He supported the implementation of universal background checks, an Assault Weapons Ban (designed to make illegal any firearm with certain “Assault” features – bear in mind that the term “Assault Weapon” has no technical definition), and many other regulations, prompting American gun owners to buy almost 5 million firearms in a 45-day period. Some decried the proposed measures as violating the 2nd Amendment, which protects individuals’ right to bear arms and does not grant power to the government to regulate specific categories of firearms. Others claimed that the proposed legislation is both constitutional and appropriate. Is gun control constitutional? Is it effective? First, let’s examine a brief history of gun control in America. Until 1934 virtually no gun control laws of any kind were on the books. Then, a series of killings (think mobster violence and Prohibition-era massacres) resulted in Congress passing the National Firearms Act of 1934, which made fully automatic firearms—machine guns—illegal for civilian ownership. Later, spurred into action by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, the Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed by the government. It mandated that firearms sellers become licensed, created the Federal Firearms License system, banned mail order of guns, made it illegal for convicted criminals to purchase firearms, and set minimum age requirements for purchasing guns. Background checks arrived in 1993 with the Brady Act; an Assault Weapons Ban followed in 1994 but expired in 2004, with little effect on crime (Washington Times). The best gauge of the constitutionality of
gun control would be the Supreme Court of the United States. Most recently, rulings in 2008 and 2010 on DC v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago, respectively, affirmed that the Constitution does guarantee the right of individuals to possess firearms (McDonald elaborated that this provision extends to individual states) for personal safety. Both decisions were determined by a 5-4 vote. (The only theoretical way in which this pro-conservative series of decisions were to change would be if conservative justice Antonin Scalia, at 76 years of age, were to retire, leaving a vacancy for Obama to appoint another liberal justice). Neither ruling has dealt with the constitutionality of measures such as universal background checks—including private sales—or banning certain weapons that are deemed more harmful and less practical than others. This is primarily due to the fact that the 2nd Amendment was written up in the 18th century, when firearm technology was primitive and firearms were used in different capacities than they are today. Ultimately, whether or not banning highcapacity The AR-15.
lack of—AR-15s and 30-round magazines. In fact, fewer than 4% of gun purchases are made at gun shows, and an even smaller percentage are exempt from background checks due to the private sale “loophole.” The vast majority of gun crimes are not shooting sprees. Instead, the majority of gun violence in the United States is gang-related. In Los Angeles and Chicago, two large US cities governed by far stricter gun control laws than typical for the US as a whole, almost 80% of all homicides are gang-related. According to Daniel Greenfield of Front Page Magazine. “Chicago’s murder rate of 15.65 per 100,000 people looks nothing like the American 4.2 rate, the Midwestern 4.5 or Illinois’ 5.6 rates, but it does look like the murder rates in failed countries like Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. To achieve Chicago’s murder rate, African countries usually have to experience a bloody genocidal civil war or decades of tyranny.” This is because the United States, contrary to what you may hear from Diane Feinstein, Michael Moore, or Piers Morgan, does not have a gun problem. It has a gang problem. Complicating the matter is that gangs don’t acquire guns the same way the law-abiding citizens do—through an FFL, background check, and traceable funds. Rather, gangs acquire guns via burglary, theft, corruption, drug profits, and every illegal method imaginable. And Chicago doesn’t even have the worst record. That belongs to New Orleans, a city with a murder rate of 44 murders per 100,000 people, more
trade are clearly visible in Mexico, which channels drugs from South America to the lucrative American market, and Brazil, where the world’s largest market for crack has led to a rate of 40,000 gun murders per year in a country with obsessively tight gun laws (UK Guardian). The entire world suffers from this epidemic of gun violence in connection with drug trade. The third type of gun violence that has plagued America is characterized by infrequent, but deadly, mass shootings. Unfortunately, there is no “silver bullet” to solve this problem. Instead, there is only a “bronze buckshot” set of solutions combining better security at schools and mental health programs. However, as Anders Behring Breivik, the mass shooter who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011, showed, no amount of firearms regulation can prevent such tragedies. What does all this mean? Ignoring the epidemic of gang violence is a result of socioeconomic and racial discrimination against the victims of this type of violence, which is responsible for the majority of gun crime in America. Suggesting instead that lawabiding citizens should have their rights taken away to make way for ineffective legislation is even worse. We can implement feel-good solutions like an Assault Weapons Ban and universal background checks in an effort to curb mass shootings, while forgetting that this conveniently ignores the root of the problem. Or, we can examine what is really killing 10,000 Americans each year.
NRA.org
SOURCES:
magazines and AR-15s is constitutional may be impossible to determine. What is not impossible is to determine whether such laws would be effective. The statistics point to two larger factors that are the cause for gun murders in the US. The key problem with gun control efforts in the United States as far as their functionality in reducing crime is the fact that the causes of the United States’s often cited “10,000 gun murders per year” statistic are confused with the causes of the only events that serve to remind us about gun violence and are the basis of gun control legislation: mass killings like the shooting sprees in Newtown, Tucson, Aurora, Virginia Tech, and Columbine (CNN). Gun control advocates have to face the fact that the vast majority of gun crime is not committed with—and would not be hampered by the
The Newtown shootings have spawned fresh debate over the 2nd amendment.
Motherjones.com
than 10 times the national average, and most of that is firearm deaths connected to gang violence (Detroit News). The same trend has been seen in a country often cited by gun control advocates, Britain: after passing extremely strict gun control measures— including buybacks and confiscations—in the 1990s, Britain’s gun murder rate skyrocketed in the 2000s due to an uptick in gang violence (Daily Mail). This gang violence combined with stricter gun laws in major cities ensures that gangs can maintain a reign of terror, and it is the poorest sects of the population and often minorities that are hardest hit from the combination of firearm mismanagement and rampant, unchecked gang violence. Today, African-Americans are about 9 times more likely to be murdered with a firearm and account for 54% of firearm victims while only being 12% of the population (Department of Justice). In Chicago, African-Americans accounted for 80% of victims; that is the price of the gang violence spree. In addition, the vast majority of victims of gun homicide have criminal records: in Baltimore, the number stands at 91%; in Philadelphia, 75%; in Newark, 85%; in Chicago, 83% (Front Page Magazine). The vast majority of gun violence in the United States is comprised of criminals targeting and killing other criminals. Some suggest that harsher penalties, better police work, and longer incarcerations could help solve the problem. The second factor that is enormously influential in affecting gun violence rates is drug trade. In 1990 the US homicide rate was twice what it is today because of the US “Crack Epidemic” of 1984-1990 in which crack cocaine spread throughout the US. The effects of drug
1. Assault Weapons Ban from 1994 to 2004 had no effect on crime: This was not the crux of my argument, and is a well-accepted fact. If you really need a source for the sake of having one, here it is. http://www. washingtontimes.com/news/2004/ aug/16/20040816-114754-1427r/?page=all 2. US has 10,000 gun murders per year: this is the number of people murdered with firearms in the US each year. period. No source needed in the article because it is not contentious, but whatever http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/opinion/ bergen-guns-national-security 3. New Orleans has 44 murders/100,000 pop.: again, this is not contentious or debatable and I don’t think a source is necessary for the article. here it is anyway. The statistics for NO vary between 30 and 53 murders/100,000 pop. Anyway, here is srouces from Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130103/ METRO01/301030415 4. Gun crime in Britain skyrockets after gun ban: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ article-1223193/Culture-violence-Gun-crimegoes-89-decade.html 5. The most contentious and controversial statistics are those regarding the probability of African Americans to be victims of firearm homicide. The source is the Department of Justice. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/ascii/ wuvc01.txt 6. The source for percentage of firearm homicides committed by perps w/ criminal records is the article by Greenfield that I cited above: http://frontpagemag.com/2012/dgreenfield/ america-doesnt-have-a-gun-problem-it-has-agang-problem/ 7. Brazil has 40,000 murders / year (from the Guardian UK): http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/ datablog/2012/jul/22/gun-homicidesownership-world-list This source claims about 35,000, others claim 40,000. Same difference.
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The Index
Political Opinions
February 2013
Fiscal Cliff, Debt Ceiling: What’s the Republicans’ Problem? Editor-in-Chief Grayson Sessa ‘13 shares his opinion on the fundemental miscalculations that the Republicans are making when it comes to the recent budget negotiations. Grayson Sessa ‘13
It is becoming almost laughable. Back in 2011 and 2012, the dysfunction in the Republican-dominated House between newlyelected Tea Party members and long-term moderate representatives was passed off as a natural clash that would be resolved once the GOP won back the presidency. But now that Mitt Romney is still just a former governor, that dysfunction has continued, and, frankly, it has ensured that nothing productive will come out of the House for what looks like the third straight year. After the 2012 election that let President Obama remain in the White House and added
to the Democrats’ advantage in the Senate, conservatives hoped that the House, which had remained red primarily through the gerrymandering of the Congressional districts, would still block the least desirable Democratsupported measures. Today, we know that the clear dysfunction has prevented even that from happening. Maybe the first instance was the failure to adopt Speaker Boehner’s “Plan B” solution to the fiscal cliff. A clearly conservative proposal — it would preserve the Bush tax cuts for all income earners below $1 million — Democrats voted against it, and President Obama announced earlier that he would veto it if it reached his desk. In other words, the Plan B proposal was probably too
President Obama (right) with Speaker of the House John Boehner (left).
conservative to be passed. How did the House Republicans respond? By voting through the most conservative fiscal cliff-fix that had the chance, albeit slim, to be passed? No, conservative representatives revolted, bringing national disgrace to the highest face of the party: Boehner. The speaker chose not to bring the bill up for a vote at all because so many members of the Republican caucus made it clear that they would only support a more conservative bill. They wanted a bill that had a nonexistent chance of getting beyond the House. And what did they end up getting? The fiscal cliff bill that was passed in the House, largely the work of Democrats helping Boehner, raised taxes on all individuals with incomes greater than $400,000. They stalled for something more conservative and received something much more liberal. House Republicans need to unite and determine an approach for the future because there is no guarantee that the Republicans will take back the Senate in 2014 and no chance at all of electing a Republican president until 2016. Republicans can choose one of two directions for the next few years. One would be to force the Democrats to act like moderates. They would be able to slow the increase of government spending, albeit by agreeing to cut military spending. They could limit the incomes targeted by new taxation laws, helping ensure that only the wealthiest Americans are targeted by Democrats’ class warfare. The other option requires guts. In the months leading up to the 2012 presidential election, Romney, backed up wbur.org
by Republicans, professed the urgency of the moment. His 47% comment came close to being a defining moment of the campaign: are we to be a nation of takers or producers? This worry has found its way to the media: Forbes now produces a list of states in a fiscal “death spiral” based on their ratio of takers to makers and urges investors not to buy municipal bonds in these states. With some guts, Republicans could stand up to the runaway spending in Washington: by sticking to their guns and starkly refusing whatever short-term fix is needed. As Speaker, Newt Gingrich shut down the government, and it led to four consecutive years of surpluses. Republicans need not shut down the government, but they could have allowed the fiscal cliff sequester cuts to occur. These crippling cuts on January 1 were scheduled for a reason because America’s current course is unsustainable. The problem is that as a whole, House Republicans could neither agree to pass a less-conservative bill that might have been passed or to stand up to a runaway Washington. Instead, this short-term fix now sets the stage for a big March with the delayed sequester cuts once again pending and a simultaneous decision whether or not to raise the debt ceiling. Maybe the refusal to unite behind letting the sequester cuts happen has resulted from worrying about popular opinion. It has not worked: the Republicans short-term approach has begot the Democrats a 44%-38% lead in Rasmussen Report’s “Generic Congressional Ballot.” The American public is getting antsy for some real action: according to Rasmussen, only 36% now believe that the March 1 sequester cuts should be avoided. For the sake of the party’s popularity, their legacy, and most importantly, the future of the country, Republicans must unite and decide to lock down on their principles. Let’s have those sequester cuts happen.
Obama Makes Cabinet Choices: What Do They Mean? Jonathan Paras ‘14 discusses the most high-profile cabinet appointments for Obama’s next term and offers background on the men who will soon fill the executive branch. experience as a senator, he should be able to Jonathan Paras ‘14
With his reelection, President Barack Obama is in a position to fill many other seats - those of his new cabinet. Due to many members resigning, the President has been forced to choose new people for the jobs; Obama has moved swiftly to fill the void in many critical areas from Secretary of State to Secretary of Defense. Here are the highlights of these new cabinet members: Senator John Kerry is perhaps best known for his run at the Presidency against George W. Bush in 2004. He has since served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2009 and was appointed to the Congressional Committee on Deficit Reduction in 2011. Kerry is a seasoned veteran when it comes to matters of the state and, from his years of
add a level of experience to foreign affairs. He had already been approved by the Senate on January 31, 2013 by a vote of 94 - 3 and has taken office as of February 1, 2013. Kerry will face many difficult tests in his term of office. He will have to deal with a continually rising China, an increasingly belligerent Iran, a rapidly destabilizing North Korea as well as a loss of face for the United States abroad due to the many recent foreign policy mishaps. Surely, it will be an interesting four years as we will see if Kerry is actually the man for the job. Leon Panetta, the Secretary of Defense, is also stepping down. As a part of Barack Obama’s pledge to have a bipartisan cabinet, he nominated former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to be approved by the Senate. Sen. Hagel was a decorated Vietnam veteran
Obama’s first cabinet, consisting of people like Hillary Clinton and Lion Panetta
whitehouse.gov
and served for a period of time as the Deputy Administrator of Veteran Affairs. Another grizzled veteran in more ways than one, Hagel is giving more pause to Senators than Kerry. He has been open about his condemnation of Israeli policies in the Middle East, and the Senate has yet to confirm his nomination. Hagel also has an interesting stance on sanctions against Iran; he does not necessarily agree with heavily sanctioning Iran as an effective method of dealing with its potential nuclear pursuits. His first hurdle, however, will be trying to gain his nomination. Other appointments include Jack Lew to Secretary of the Treasury and John Brennan to the directorship of the Central Intelligence Agency. Lew is a likely appointment as he was a leading Federal budget expert and the White House Chief of Staff. The only controversial hurdle left for Lew is his investment in Citigroup, located in the Cayman Islands. It saw a net Toledo Blade John Kerry, the new Secretary of State. profit loss due to the new killed Osama methods of governmental taxation Bin Laden that were policies he himself in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and has seen over backed. Facing the prospect of trying to mint a twenty-five years of CIA experience. His trillion dollar coin, Lew could be an important task is one of juggling the accountability that factor in deciding the fate of the debt ceiling Americans feel he is beholden to while also debacle. Other past experiences include his ensuring that the secretive nature of his work is position as budget director under President Bill not sabotaged in the process. Clinton. Barack Obama has certainly tried to add a Meanwhile, the nominee to be the Director powerfully-experienced roster to his cabinet, of the CIA, John Brennan ,has been attacked including a Republican as a part of his attempts by the Senate for his strong approval and to bridge the gap in the aisle. But the question spearheading of the use of drone strikes to remains whether or not he will follow his kill terrorists. He represented the team that words with decisive actions.
Page 16
The Index
February 2013
Outdex
Recently at The Haverford School... Sam Bloch ‘13, Noah Cutler ‘14, James Tarte ‘13, Wick Egan ‘13, Mike Green ‘13, Manav Khandelwal ‘15, Dylan Henderson ‘14, and Jake Mullin ‘13
The thief will be crucified. The Haverford School would like to congratulate The Haverford School for being the best Haverford School in the country. According to Fifth Former Jonathan Paras, “There is nothing in this world apart from robotics and Zuul.” Next Friday is National Jack Armstrong Day. Jack will be announcing who he will be taking to prom at a noon eastern time press conference in the dining hall. We think that the elusive Jonathan Paras has finally crawled back into the dark cave he came out of years ago. After failing to convince Mr. Green to cancel school, Sixth Former Connor Fairman has gone to great lengths through late night phone calls, snapchats, telegrams, candygrams and personal love letters, in an attempt to convince Mr. Green to finally make the call. Who would you like to see as the head writer of the Outdex next year? -Jonathan Paras -Manav Khandelwal -Getting stabbed in the eyes repeatedly with a rusty, dull knife Jake Mullin
DECA leadership finally admits that the club is a pyramid scheme.
Shout out to DJ Conner for leading the senior skip day movement. D.J is also organizing a 2nd official senior skip day for Saturday, February 30. If you don’t skip, then you’re not cool. After two failed senior skip days, the entire senior class pledged to skip from now till the end of the year. As a result they all ended with perfect attendance records. Mr. Fifer has asked that everyone suggest baby names to him as much as possible, whenever you see him! After much thought Mr. Fifer has decided on a name for his child: Mark. Doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or girl. Mr. Fifer’s child has been preemptively named Pope, making it the first time ever a baby has held the position.
The entire student body is excited for spring sports to start so that they can watch some quality Fords baseball. When asked if he was excited for the start of tennis season, Doc Gottlieb responded in a completely monotone voice saying, “Never been more excited in my life.” In celebration of the Harlem Shake video, Albert Ciardi has decided to change up his normal daily routine by blasting loud electronic music in the halls all day. A recent study shows that fish has been a top-selling item in the cafeteria this year. In order to meet the growing demand, Haverford has purchased a multimillion dollar vessel that will soon be roaming the Schuylkill in search of more mouth-watering tilapia. The administration has demanded that the student section do Silent Night for every game for the rest of the year because he is tired of censoring what students say during games. Agnes Irwin is trying to break the world record for most dances held to raise money for another dance this year. AIS has held eight dances to fundraise for its much anticipated prom.
Index Staff