The Index Eutxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXII, No. 7
June 2011
Haverford, Pennsylvania
Congratulations to the Class of 2011
Photo Credit: Linda Walters Photography
under the guidance of captains Rameen Vafa and Jacob White, seized first-place trophies across all regional competitions and went to Disney World for the World Championships for the first time in the club’s history. With a record number of Sixth Formers committed to Division I colleges, the Fords lacrosse team entered the year with the title of number one in the nation. They have stayed there after 23 consecutive wins despite the incessant carpings of critics. DECA, under the tutelage of co-founders Sachin Patel, Nick Desatnick, and Ben Cutler grew into an organization that qualified more members to state and national competitions than did any other club chapter in Pennsylvania. The silverware they bring back to school has already proved a tripping hazard. And for the most part, we actually attended school right on the through to the end of the second semester. But I believe that the single greatest asset of this class was our underestimated ability to become a tight-knit brotherhood. As the last of the cramped, but cohesive “Haverford West” generations, it would seem appropriate that we would embody the virtues that make
Changhee Han ‘11 A friend once told me that everyone tries to live up to everyone else’s standards. And to a certain extent, this is true; we want to please everyone, whether it be a teacher or friend. But in a particularly competitive school such as Haverford, success is sometimes only measured by how much we exceed the norm. Bill Watterson makes light of this concept of over-achievement in his beloved “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strips by having the protagonist proclaim, “I find my life is a lot easier the lower I keep everyone’s expectations.” Before this year’s Sixth Formers were even able to step into the school, the entire class was subjugated to comparisons with last year’s graduating class. Joe Cilio’s rousing class speeches. Superior athletic and academic achievements. Raucous fan clubs for sports teams of all seasons. The Class of 2011 had to overcome these expectations the whole year, and we’ve done ourselves a good job at that. Captained by Joe McCallion and Vince Garman, the football team clinched the first outright Inter-Ac title since 1971. Robotics,
Where to Next?
Photo Credit: 2.bp.blogspot.com
The End of an Era
As our multi-talented Sixth Formers say goodbye to Haverford, where are they starting the next stage of their lives? The College Matriculation List is on on Page 3.
Survey Results The Index surveyed 87 Upper School students. Favorite lunches, hours of sleep, uses of Facebook - we have it all. See the results on Pages 7 and 12
After teaching at Haverford for an astounding 37 years, Mr. Edward Hallowell is retiring. Read the story on Page 5.
Lacrosse Team #1 in the Nation
Haverford what it is: a family. Armed with vuvuzuelas, togas, and cowboy gear, Sixth Formers transformed home basketball games into rallying grounds for the entire community. The Theater III class performed in front of a filled Ball Auditorium with an audience mainly composed of classmates. And with the support of the class, student president Armen Melikian easily filled the massive void left by Joe Cilio, matching the latter president in both humor and charisma. I can confidently attribute this sudden change in behavior to the collective realization that we are about to graduate. While teachers wonder why students cannot adopt the “seizethe-day” mentality earlier in their high school careers, we have to recognize that it will always be this way every year, everywhere. Maturity, after all, is a long road that everyone will forever walk. For us, we have been given a nudge in the right direction with our graduation date as the prodding stick. But because of this sense of impending departure and loss, our carpe diem mindset becomes all the more genuine, and for that, we can be forgiven for the frivolity in our
Photo Credit: haverford.org
Rising Third Form Sports Stars
The Haverford lacrosse team has done the unthinkable: after starting the season ranked #1 in high school national polls, it went 23-0 and held that ranking the entire year. That road was not without its tense moments. Read about the season and nail-biting 23rd game on Page 9.
With the departure of the Class of 2011, we welcome a new class to the Upper School the Class of 2015. They bring a selection of athletes that will shore up Haverford’s sports teams for years to come. Get the details on Page 11.
Photo by Ms. Dawn Blake
Photo by Ms. Dawn Blake
younger years. So where do we go from here? “Take care of each other.” This was the only requirement that Dr. Cox asked of the class before the prom. Regardless of whatever path in life we have decided on, the single most important thing that we can do is uphold the ideals that Haverford has instilled in us from the beginning. But if we had to condense Haverford into one virtue, it would be compassion. Respect, character, honesty, courage, and love are only derivatives of this trait, and if we took it a step further, all of this simply means “take care of each other.” Especially in a world that tends to be unforgiving, this compelling bit of advice can prove to be the greatest commodity that our community has to offer. I have had an incredible time here. Everyone around me has achieved an incredible amount of growth since the first time I met them back at Camp Conrad Weiser in the fall of 2007. And this is only the beginning. Class of 2011, it has been an incredible honor. I wish everyone success in their future endeavors. Class of 2012, good luck topping us.
Also Inside the Issue... Presidential letter, pg. 2 Graduation Projects, pg. 4 Gender Equality in the Curriculum, pg. 4 Farewells, starting on pg. 5 Artist of the Issue, pg. 7 Notables Recap, pg. 7 NFL Lockout, pg. 11 And much more...
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June 2011
News & Features
Letter from the President
Letter from the Editors
Dear Student Body,
Greetings Readers,
It is with due gratitude for your support and sincere acknowledgement of my responsibility that I write to you for the first time. We did it. We have completed another year of school. We have had a great year as a student body under the fantastic direction of our president, Armen Melikan, whose leadership I can only hope to live up to. With great sports teams, high achieving school clubs, and superior academics, the school should be more than happy with the entire high school student Photo by Elias Economou body for the 2010-2011 term. Now prepare to embark on the nearly three month journey, job, or vacation we all call summer. As the summer progresses, I hope all of you spend some time reflecting on your year. Remember that summer tends to end as quickly as it starts, and it won’t be long before all of you are walking through the halls of Wilson once again. It will be a hard adjustment with the loss of our Sixth Form class, which did a superb job in leading the school this year. We must harness the new maturity fostered throughout the school year to enter our new respective roles in the Upper School in September. Third Formers, you will be returning to school for your second year. You will find a more difficult course load and more responsibility as you continue to come closer to the college process. Fourth Formers, you will return to school as upperclassmen, and you will be looked up to by a new Third Form class. Strive to always set a good example and try to remember the upperclassmen you strove to emulate when you first entered the school. Finally, for my fellow Fifth Formers, we have reached the bittersweet final stretch. In less than a year, we will be hearing from colleges and starting the next phase of our lives. However, let us try our best to not take the easy road and “check out” once we hear from our respective colleges and universities. I hope we can leave and be remembered as the class who exhibited an unprecedented amount of school spirit setting the best examples for the underclassmen. Now, as we leave the school to enjoy the hard-earned summer, I want you all to look forward to the upcoming year despite the sometimes daunting prospects of a return to late nights studying. Our first weekend will open with the third annual Back $2 School Dance to gain some funds as soon as possible in order to begin work on the student lounge. Rest assured that I will not forget the responsibility you all gave me over the summer. I will work hard to make sure that our similar visions for the year are realized.
The school year has come to an end and a host of new beginnings is upon us. Whether it be a new school and a new chapter in life for the Sixth Formers or a simple progression to the next year of high school for everyone else, there are holes in leadership or membership throughout the various branches of the Haverford community. As these roles are filled, those who take the positions should stop and think, “What can I do to improve on what has been done in the past? How can I leave a mark on the Haverford community?” For the new Index staff, this is the dawn of a year that will be catered towards improving what you, the reader, want from your HaverPhoto by Index Staff ford newspaper. We will dedicate ourselves to providing you with content that you want to read at an exceptional level of quality. To make sure we achieve this goal, we are prepared to bring about changes; some minor, some major, but all for the benefit of The Index and its readers. For starters, The Index has put together a new website (www.haverfordindex.com) that is making its debut alongside this issue. While the paper publication is expected to retain the vast majority of new content, the website will serve as an archive for the paper as well as a service to the Haverford community by posting announcements, lunch schedules, and anything else that would be too cumbersome to update frequently on the main Haverford webpage. The website will also act as an ideal forum for debate and commentary about the articles, a significant improvement from the former reliance on sporadic references to articles by word of mouth. The presence of a mobile version of the site will give students a way to access all of this information with ease. In terms of actual content, there are several new ideas to be made integral parts of The Index. For one, we hope to start a tradition of incorporating polls in The Index, providing a portrayal of not only extremely intriguing trends but also a voice for all those who are willing to take a moment out of their day to vote. Meanwhile, the Outdex is set to thrive. Many of you claim that the Outdex is your favorite part of The Index, and so be it. An editorial position solely for putting together the Outdex has been established, and plans are in motion to expand the Outdex to more than just a single page on the back of each issue. Changes have been prevalent behind the scenes as well. Not only has The Index hired a talented batch of new staff members, but it has also made use of this newfound talent. The recent move to Google Docs has the staff working as one cohesive team and will undoubtedly result in a noticeable spike in quality and organization. As we go through this period of change, please approach us with all the criticism and praise you can muster. We truly want to know what you want from your newspaper, and we will do our best to make it happen. If you ever have something you feel needs to be said, feel free to join the ranks of regular writers or submit a single article. We thank our predecessors, Sixth Formers Changhee Han and Ryan Blake, for the work they and their staff put into The Index this past year to make it so successful. We have some pretty big shoes to fill, but we would like to believe that we have pretty big feet. Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2011; as they mark the end of their era, a new era is about to begin.
Your President, Peter Rogers ‘12
Tadas Antanavicius ‘12 & Grayson Sessa ‘13 Editors-In-Chief
New Leaders & award Recipients Honor Council Form V Jonathan Smith (Chairman) Kevin Zipf (Vice-Chairman) Dein Feinman Chris DiBello Form IV Stewart Denious Jack Kling Jason Tabas Form III Dylan Henderson RJ Meiers
Student Council Form V Peter Rogers (President) B.G. Lemmon Rémi Yang Form IV Alex Dubow (President) Henri Mattila Wick Egan Form III Terry Rossi (President) Jonathan Paras Justin Chermol
The Index 2011-2012 Staff Tadas Antanavicius, Editor-in-Chief Grayson Sessa, Editor-in-Chief Peter Thompson, News and Features Editor James Shecter, Sports Editor Amar Patel, Arts & Entertainment Editor Fisher Pressman, Opinions Editor Jonathan Smith, Outdex Editor Elias Economou, Staff Photographer Fitz Tepper, Website Manager Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor
Signet Society Form V B.G. Lemmon Kevin Zipf Rémi Yang Mac Selverian Will Hatcher Peter Rogers Chris DiBello Harrison Kendall Will McNamara Zach Rego Brennan Kensey Colm Cummins
Character Mentorship Program
Form V Sam Henderson (Chairman) B.G. Lemmon Vince Piccioni Kevin Griffiths Will Hatcher Form IV Matt Galetta Jordan Lieb Elias Economou Danny Rubenstein
Cum Laude Society Form VI (2010) Chris Magnani Chris Miller Nick Desatnick Sachin Patel Josh Barrett Hunter van Adelsberg Christian Hopkins Alex Goodman Alex Beatty
Form VI (2011) Rameen Vafa Kaess Smit Collin Heffernan Ben Cutler Alex Kumar Connell Kling Justin Giorgio Zack Waldman Nick Rhodes Changhee Han
Form V (2011) B.G. Lemmon Steven Molitor Dean Feinman Tadas Antanavicius Kelly Mao Peter Rogers Frank Brown Rémi Yang
Haverford Index Website: http://www.haverfordindex.com/ Submissions are welcomed at: hsindex@gmail.com The Index is a student-run publication of The Haverford School. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. We welcome all articles and editorials as well as unsolicited material. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Hardware: Apple Macbook Software: Adobe InDesign CS3 Printing by School Publications Company. Neptune, N.J. Copyright 2011.
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June 2011
News & Features
College Matriculation List Acker, Andrew Austin, Damali Barrett, Joshua Beatty, Alex Berkman, Heston Berrettini, Nick Bhattacharyya, Kumar Blake, Ryan Block, Michael Brennan, Ted Cain, Michael Caltabiano, Michael Collins, Beau Craig, Nicholas Cutler, Ben Desatnick, Nick Dillman, Alex Dougherty, Luke Fraker, Luke Garman, Vince Giorgio, Justin Goodman, Alex Gordon, David Han, Changhee Hargrove, Nikki Harper, Thomas Hawkins, Daniel Heffernan, Colin Hopkins, Christian Hupfeldt, Hup Isen, Thomas Kahn, Evan Kahn, Jared Kane, Kyle Kelly, Conor Khan, Shariq Kling, Connell Kuensell, Bayard Kumar, Alex Kuritzkes, James Kurtzman, Max Lombardo, Nicholas Magnani, Christopher Mansmann, Taylor McCallion, Joe McCord, Kyle McGrath, Brendan Melikian, Armen
Massachusetts Institute of Technology St. John’s University Yale University Princeton University University of Pennsylvania College of the Holy Cross George Washington University Johns Hopkins University Vanderbilt University Villanova University Boston University Vanderbilt University Tufts University Wilkes University Washington University Dartmouth College Northeastern University West Chester University Brown University High Point University Georgetown University Vanderbilt University New York University University of Pennsylvania University of North Carolina Johns Hopkins University Wake Forest University Dartmouth College Gap Year University of Pennsylvania Hamilton College Indiana University Indiana University Wheaton College University of Notre Dame University of Miami University of Virginia Dartmouth College Rice University Trinity College University of Pennsylvania Temple University Harvard University Georgetown University University of Pennsylvania University of Virginia Princeton University Wake Forest University
Merrick, Bill Miller, Chris Miller, Luke Murray, Goran Nelligan, William O’Riordan, Martin Offit, Will Pagano, George Patel, Sachin Pie, Blair Pie, Justin Quigley, Christopher Rhodes, Alex Rhodes, Nick Richman, Sam Rodgers, Nate Rondolone, Vincent Rubenstein, Robbie Ruch, Zach Sacharok, Jes Safford, Scotty Sanna, Ryan Sava, Nick Seltzer, Charles Senior, Matthew Sesay, Abdul Shields, John Simmons, Chet Smit, Kaess Solmssen, Robert Soukup, Creighton Sowers, Alec Stewart, Grove Thompson, Will Tomczak, Michael Tomlinson, Brent Tornetta, Dan Vafa, Rameen van Adelsberg, Hunter Volpert, Nate Waldman, Zack Walrath, Carl Walters, Matt Washington, Mike Webb, Andrew White, Jacob Winoski, Jacob Wood, Tyler
Villanova University Northwestern University Bucknell University University of Maryland Gettysburg College Tulane University University of Richmond University of Nebraska Harvard University Wake Forest University Lafayette College University of Pittsburgh Cornell University University of Pennsylvania Wake Forest University University of Pennsylvania Ursinus College Dickinson College Gettysburg College Pennsylvania State University Bucknell University University of Michigan University of Delaware Gap Year Pennsylvania State University Colgate University University of Notre Dame Gettysburg College Stanford University Harvard University New York University Colorado College Harvard University Bloomsburg University Widener University Brown University Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Dartmouth College University of Richmond College of Charleston University of Virginia Syracuse University University of Maryland Pennsylvania State University Lafayette College University of Pennsylvania Middlebury College
haverfordindex.com has arrived...
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June 2011
News & Features
Gender Equality in The Curriculum Grayson Sessa ‘13 Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. These three great works have two things in common: they are all read by Haverford Upper School students and they were all written by male authors. Has The Haverford School’s position as a “boys-only school” seeped into the literary curriculum? Does The Haverford School spend the vast majority of class-time having students study novels written by men from a male perspective? Some are saying exactly that. Fourth Former Josh Collins, after acknowledging that he has limited experience at Haverford, estimated that only about 40% of the books Haverford students are assigned are written by women. English teacher Mr. Luqman Kolade echoed a similar opinion. In fact, Fifth Former Fitz Tepper said he had trouble remembering “many recent in-class books written by females.” The community disagrees as to exactly how this imbalance was caused. Fourth Former Fisher Pressman says that it is akin to “following a long-standing tradition of reading mostly male authors at The Haverford School after 127 years.” Tepper agrees that it is intentional, remarking that reading biographies of woman or novels with female protagonists may be uncomfortable at an all-boys school. Sixth Former Nick Desatnick takes a different stance, calling the differential “systemic.” “We read mostly classic books which are the hallmark of a liberal arts education.” Mentioning famous male authors such as Shakespeare, Golding, and Kesey, Desatnick stated simply, “It’s just the way it works out.” Fourth Former Michael Zivik expressed a similar view, but acknowledged that he had rarely given it much thought. English teacher Mr. Ranzer voiced his own opinion by remarking, “We have a stronger focus, perhaps, on male writers and male protagonists, but it’s not a pointed choice to exclude women.” However, even among those in the community who notice a greater number of male authors being read, not all see this disparity
as a problem. Kolade says, “I don’t think you should just read a female author because she is a female author. There’s a reason behind [the books read at Haverford], and it’s usually a pretty good reason.” Collins has a similar opinion, describing that “It’s really just the
because “we are young men grappling with the problems posed in these works; it makes sense that we are presented with male perspectives more than those of females.” Tepper believes “it’s fine; it could be the books we need to read are just written by men.”
Books in the English curriculum by male (left) and female (right) authors. Photo by Elias Economou
subject matter of the books that matters.” Collins also denies the need to balance the number of female and male authors read at Haverford, “Being a boys’ school, we might be able to relate better to male authors.” English teacher Ms. Rebecca Smedley agrees, “At an all-boys school I certainly think it makes sense to have most of the protagonists in the books be male.” Ms. Smedley noted that when she taught at Baldwin, a similar effort was made with regards to female protagonists. Desatnick acknowledges that “a balance of perspectives is important,” but says that
English teacher Mr. Andrew Scibilia sees room for improvement: “Reading female authors is something that I would like to see more of.” He views the imbalance as an education-wide issue, not simply centric to an all-boys school like Haverford. Currently, Mr. Scibilia teaches a number of female authors including Ann Beattie and Jhumpa Lahiri. English Department Chair Dr. Delia Turner says, “In my [sixth grade] curriculum, I do teach a wide variety of works written by women because I teach poetry, and some of the finest poetry of the last century has been writ-
ten by women.” Dr. Turner pointed out a few famous examples such as Emily Dickinson, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Maya Angelou. Planning the English curriculum for the future could be a struggle, suggested Dr. Turner. “During the last few decades, there has been an absolute explosion, an utter bewilderment of published literature…[We must] decide which books, which stories, or which poems we should all be reading together.” She noted that balancing the curriculum these days should be easier because literature “is written by absolutely everyone.” That differs from classical periods which “were woefully short of women authors.” The Language Department is another window on the issue: Haverford students also have exposure to great works of literature in upper-level language classes. Spanish teacher Mr. Andrew Poolman mentioned certain female authors, including Elena Poniatowska and Ana María Matute, whose works are studied by some Haverford students, and added that there are plans to read other short stories by female authors in the future. However, he noted that there was an imbalance; “There are more male authors that we read.” According to Mr. Poolman, this is not necessarily a problem, because “In Hispanic literature, as far as the classics and what [anthologies] produce… there are many more male authors.” The same imbalance tends to be true in collegiate-level Spanish classes. Chinese teacher Ms. Sonya Hsieh said, “I want to be able to see things from different perspectives, but not [based solely on] gender.” Haverford Chinese students are exposed to a variety of perspectives, including books from the viewpoints of a teenage girl, a high school boy, and a young woman in college. Contrasting the other languages, Language Department Head and Latin teacher Ms. Sara Adkins said that there was not very much diversity in the Latin literature curriculum. “They’re all dead, white males,” she mentioned with a smile. However, this is largely caused by the nature of Roman literature, “There are no Roman female authors that we could read. The only thing we can do…is [read what the male authors] wrote about women.”
Graduation Projects: getting the spotlight they deserve? Jonathan Paras ‘14 “May.” The word conjures up images of a fast-approaching summer, the graduation of the Sixth Form, and, of course, graduation projects. These are projects chosen by the Sixth Form earlier in the year that usually fall into one of three categories: community service, individual, or internship, according to Mr. Rob Upton, coordinator of the projects. Mr. Upton described the projects as an opportunity “for individual students of the graduating class to come up with and pursue something that they are very passionate about and to use the abilities that they take from The Haverford School to complete whatever task they seek.” Mr. Upton also expressed a desire for more of the projects to be recognized by the school community because a lot of this hard work often goes unnoticed. Each student is required to have a project for which they work six hours a day up until completion. It ensures that the lazy mood of summer does not completely overtake productivity in the final days of Upper School. For example, Sixth Former Justin Giorgio’s project keeps him very productive:
he describes his project as “Interning at the Philadelphia Police Department with [Sixth Former] Michael Cain to investigate overtime abuse within the department.” Giorgio spoke about how he enjoys serving his community and always had a fascination with law enforcement. He believes that he can give back to the city with his internship. Not all graduation projects are as glamorous as that of Giorgio and Cain. Sixth Former Alex Dillman works with science teacher Mr. Jamison Maley in the engineering room, building an electrical circuit. The device is designed to alter the pitch of incoming sounds, similar to “auto-tuning” or sound modulation. Still yet, there are other creative projects such as that of Sixth Former Jacob White, who is designing The Index’s website (www. haverfordindex.com). The Sixth Formers present their projects to their advisories in the final week of school. Some hope that these projects could be presented to a broader audience because Sixth Formers deserve greater recognition for their hard work. It would be great for them to show the Haverford community what they have done with their education.
VISIT HAVERFORDINDEX.COM FOR WEB EXCLUSIVES ON U.S. POLICY IN LIBYA, THE STRESSES ON STUDENT ATHLETES, AND THE BEST CHEESESTEAKS IN TOWN
A painting by Beau Collins. Photo by Beau Collins
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June 2011
Farewells
Mr. Hallowell cally elegant handwriting, and his tradition of surprising his classes with donuts on the last day before Winter Break. Truly, Haverford is Graduation is a bittersweet affair. While lucky to have had such an outstanding teacher commencement is a celebration of the Sixth and friend in its ranks for the past 37 years. Form’s achievements, the sobering reality is On his first day at Haverford in 1974, few that the Sixth Formers’ time at Haverford has could have realized that the young Mr. Halcome to an end. After the festivities of June 10th have run their course, life will go on, only lowell would become such an iconic figure. An area native, he graduated from Lower Merion Haverford will not be as large a part of it for High School before studythem. Teachers will return to ing at Kenyon College their classrooms, textbooks on a Woodrow Wilson will be dusted off, and the Fellowship. After graduatsyllabi will be distributed. All ing summa cum laude, he will be the same, just one year continued his studies as a later. Fulbright Fellow in GerAt first, this thought is many and at Cambridge disconcerting; every Sixth University, from which he Former has it in his mind that received a B.A. and M.A. his time at Haverford has been in English. He then began special and that he has left an his career as an educator, indelible mark on the school. teaching at Mercersburg When viewed over time, Academy, Pembroke Colhowever, it is clear that this is lege, and Earlham College not the case. It is instead those prior to his arrival at Haviconic teachers and adminiserford in August of 1974. trators who really stand the “At that time,” Mr. Stewart test of time. These remarkable Alford recalls, “Haverford men and women who present was known for its strong those memorable lessons year English department. Mr. after year, class after class, Hallowell not only added are what shape this school and to the Department give it its character. Even Mr. Hallowell in the 1975 Haligoluk then, but he has also more than quirky tradiperpetuated its high tions, class reunions, or standards for years.” Indeed, the School was EA Day, they provide graduates with a bridge quite lucky to land such an accomplished to their time at Haverford, forever reminding scholar of English, and it has been even more them of their identity as Haverfordians. fortunate to hold him for the better part of the For the past 37 years, Mr. Edward R. Hallast 40 years. lowell has been the most prominent of these During his time at Haverford, Mr. Hallowell reminders. Ask any graduate what he rememhas not only commanded the classroom, but bers most about his Haverford experience and he had also become a beloved figured in all ashis answer will almost certainly include Mr. Nick Desatnick ‘11
Hallowell and his legendary English classes. Whether it was his famed Third Form lectures on The Lord of the Flies or his discussions of Emerson and Transcendentalism in Fifth Form, every class with Mr. Hallowell was a memorable affair. His ability to weave the works of famous authors into every discussion is unparalleled, and his personal encyclopedia of stories keeps every student enthralled. Rather than standing at the whiteboard and lecturing, he always sits amongst his students, inviting discussion of everything from William Bradford and Benjamin Franklin to Walt Whitman and F. Scott Fitzgerald. His passion is infectious, as his enthusiastic gestures and excited smiles draw every student into the conversation. “He was able to connect with all of us and excite us about what we were learning while holding us to really high standards,” adds Sixth Former Tyler Wood. And it is not just the content of his lectures that makes him so revered. The force of his personality is evident in his cheerful “Good morning, sir!” to each passing student, his thoughtful critiques of submitted papers written in his characteristi-
Rameen Vafa ‘11 It is difficult to say goodbye to Mr. Ian Ranzer, who has done so much to energize English classrooms, the soccer field, and the halls of Haverford West and Wilson Hall over the past six years. Before teaching at Haverford, Mr. Ranzer taught for three years at public schools in Vermont and six years at the Brooklyn Friends School. Because Academic Dean Mr. Dan Slack left on a sabbatical in 2006, the same year that Mr. Ranzer’s wife got a job offer in the Philadelphia area, Mr. Ranzer became a one-year substitute teacher at Haverford. After Mr. Slack returned, Mr. Ranzer was given a long-term job as an English teacher. Over the course of his fifteen-year teaching career, he has taught every grade from sixth grade to Sixth Form. At Haverford, he has taught English I to Third Formers, American Literature and Transcendentalism to Fifth Formers, and New Journalism to Sixth
Mr. Hallowell teaching a final class in 2011. Photo by Mr. Tim Stay pects of school life. His involvement never ended with the bell; rather, he supported his students throughout the day. It is the rare afternoon when Mr. Hallowell has not staked out the sidelines, clad in his trademark tweed sport coat, cheering on Haverford athletes at both the JV and Varsity levels. After the games end, when most leave for the day, he has often been found in the Drama Department, working on the Upper School’s next production of a Gilbert and Sullivan play. Mr. Michael Stairs relates, “The years of the Hallowell productions of Gilbert and Sullivan were glory years… the excitement still lingers among all those that love and admire Edward Hal-
Faculty candid from the 1990 Haligoluk: (left to right) Mr. Ron Brown, Mr. Edward Hallowell, Mr. Rafael Laserna, Mr. Sandy Mercer, Mr. Peter Chamberlain
Mr. Ranzer Formers. Of all the subjects he has ever perceptions of society offered by Ken Kesey taught, Mr. Ranzer enjoys teaching Whitman, in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Meehan transcendentalism, and also values the one-onNew Journalism the most. one help Mr. Ranzer Mr. Ranzer’s class on has offered him in the transcendentalism exposed composition of his essays. most students to self-reliance “Mr. Ranzer has helped me and “Man thinking” for the narrow my topics and edit first time. Mr. Ranzer enjoyed out unnecessary verbiage.” teaching New Journalism to Mr. Ranzer coached Sixth Formers because “of third team soccer and the freedom it allows the helped them become Interclass to enjoy.” A unique Ac champions this year. characteristic of Mr. Ranzer’s He also ran several of the classes was his stream of recent Open Mic nights references to Harry Potter, and the Vinyl Records an aspect that has not only club. This year, he and helped students learn difficult Mr. Tom Trocano brought vocabulary words, but has the Sustainability Alliance also encouraged having fun. off the ground by helping Photo by Elias Economou Fifth Former Jack Meehan organize a student-run values Mr. Ranzer’s unique greetings in paper collection on Wednesday mornings with class each day. “Mr. Ranzer breathes life a paper recycling company, Paper Retriever. into difficult concepts such as the complex “We were not effectively recycling our paper,
lowell for the tremendous joy and friendships he brought their way.” And it is not just his involvement in school activities that has endeared him to so many. Mr. Hallowell is truly one of the most approachable members of the faculty, making himself available to students and colleagues in the halls, around the lunch table, and before morning classes. An expert on literature, classical music, and gardening, he regales listeners with stories and advice, inspiring others to explore new authors, composers, and genres. Sixth Former Matt Walters, whose father was also taught by Mr. Hallowell, recalls, “I was never a big reader, but at the end of my freshmen year, I sat down with Mr. Hallowell and he started talking about books and how great the English language is. He gave me a list of books to read over the summer, and ever since then I have loved reading. He made me want to read. He could make anybody want to read. He is just that kind of teacher.” In June, the graduating class will walk across the stage for 127th time in Haverford’s history. However, unlike for the last 36 classes, when these new alumni return to their Alma Mater, an icon will be missing. There won’t be the familiar click of Mr. Hallowell’s British loafers in the 3rd Floor Hall, nor his famous stories of “The Chopper,” nor his legendary aphorisms. The inaugural recipient of the Rafael Laserna Outstanding Teacher Award and the Hallowell Lecture’s namesake is retiring this year. As the school says goodbye to this great teacher, colleague, and friend, it does so knowing that it is losing an extraordinary asset. Without question, his absence will be sorely felt. It is with great sadness that the Class of 2011 and the Haverford School bid farewell to this man who has given so much to so many.
and this was a good way to bring it to the forefront,” Mr. Ranzer remarked. During the 2011-2012 school year, he will be teaching American Literature to eleventh graders at nearby Friends Select School. Mr. Ranzer offered the following reflection on his experience here: “Haverford is a special place and I am proud to be a small part of its rich history. I have become a better teacher in my five years here. I will prize all of my Haverford memories...from learning how to tie a Windsor knot, to being ‘roommates’ with Mr. Hallowell at Haverford West, to the dayto-day interactions with my fine colleagues and students.” When asked to provide his former students and colleagues some parting words of wisdom, Mr. Ranzer quoted the final lines of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
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Farewells
June 2011
Mr. Boham Fitz Tepper ‘12 When one considers the breadth of instruction delivered by Haverford teachers, few are quite as impressive as that of Mr. Brett Boham. In his five years at Haverford, Mr. Boham has taught Latin, English: World Literature, English: American Literature, Film Studies, Media Studies, and a handful of independent studies with eager and qualified students. Mr. Boham’s dedication to Haverford is also evident outside of the classroom. He not only revolutionized the Haverford Film and Debate clubs, but also founded Haverford TV News and the Main Line Student Film Festival. In addition, he created the Film and Media studies courses at Haverford, both of which are becoming increasingly popular electives. Lastly and most importantly, he established himself as a mainstay in the annual EA Day Faculty Student dodgeball tournament. In fact, he takes it so seriously that he has a pair of athletic shoes under his classroom desk dedicated to this annual event. Mr. Boham has untiringly slaved over his classroom’s atmosphere, ultimately creating a mecca for the busy Haverford student. While not engaging in lively discourse or editing film in the back of the room, students can be
Photo by Elias Economou
found exploring the various exhibits carefully arranged throughout his classroom. One student favorite is the back wall, where students post particularly interesting or embarrassing personal anecdotes. Mr. Boham’s relationship with his students
Mr. Wilson
can be summed up by a quick glance at his Facebook wall, which was created a year ago for the purpose of easing communication with his students. Students will often post homework questions, news articles serving as follow-ups from class discussions, or the occasional inside
advisees this year, has a different perspective but a similar sentiment, stating that “Mr. Wilson was an After three years, Mr. Evan Wilson will be leaving exceptional advisor who cared for nothing but the best for his students.” Sixth Former Blair Pié agrees, Haverford’s Upper School. Mr. Wilson was a dedisaying he “succeeded in connecting with students cated member of the faculty who taught Ancient and from ‘Day 1’ at Haverford.” Pié happily recounted Modern World History while advising the Model a story of throwing the tennis ball, which was used UN Club and coaching both Third Form Basketball to designate the student who would read. Despite and JV Baseball each year. Haverford was his first the risk of a detention for hitting the projector, Pié teaching job after graduating with degrees from Yale trusted in his abilities and threw the ball, hitting and Cambridge. Calling Haverford “a good home,” the overhead he admits “it’s projector and going to be ending up with a tough to be detention. Now, away from the the story is classroom for used jokingly to a little while,” describe “how and hopes to not to behave in stay in contact class.” with the friends Like Pié, Mehe has made likian was part here. Mr. Wilof Mr. Wilson’s son is set to befirst classes at gin a three-year Haverford and Ph.D program considers himin history at Oxself fortunate. ford University. “[I] have come His dissertation to realize what will center on a great loss his British naval departure is to history, particuHaverford,” he larly during the says. Fourth Napoleonic era. Former Fisher Mr. Wilson Pressman thanks should take Mr. Wilson for Photo by Elias Economou pride in the the inspiration “to knowledge that he learn more history and do extra work outside the leaves an extensive legacy with the students whom class.” he has taught for the past three years. Fifth Former He will also be missed at the Haverford Model Deepak Bhagat remembers Mr. Wilson, his Modern UN club. Fourth Former and club member Jack World History teacher, as one of the special educaArmstrong considers Mr. Wilson “a valuable mentors who could combine learning with fun: “We tor…because he helped to make foreign issues more obviously learned a lot from him…[but he still] let relevant and interesting.” us have a good time.” History Department Chair Mr. Donn Miller deFourth Former Josh Collins recollects lookscribed Mr. Wilson as “the quintessential indepening “forward to [history classes with Mr. Wilson] dent school teacher.” After noting his innovative throughout the day.” Bhagat specifically mentioned teaching style, Mr. Miller mentioned that Mr. Wilson the “engaging Powerpoints” and frequent map was always “willing to be involved [with] and supquizzes which “incorporated Sporcle into the class.” port all facets of independent school life, such as Fourth Former Henry Scales said, “Mr. Wilson’s chaperoning dances and attending school activities.” approach to history is unique and makes it enjoyable He embodies the classic Haverford slogan by “helpfor the whole class.” ing prepare [Haverford School students] for life.” Mr. Wilson was able to liven up even one of the Mr. Wilson is looking forward to marrying his most dreaded aspects of a Haverford education: fiancée this summer, who will then be moving with exams. Bhagat specifically recalls the classroom him to Britain. He jokingly added, “Blair [Pié] and Jeopardy! games played on the review days before Armen [Melikian] are not invited to the wedding,” exam week as one of the ways Mr. Wilson made but on a more serious note, he is glad to see his first “specific things fun.” Sixth Former Armen Melikian students - the Class of 2011 - graduate. remembers Mr. Wilson as a teacher “who knows his Perhaps Bhagat sums it up best: “He was a great subject matter inside and out, and yet he welcomes teacher who absolutely knew his stuff.” The Havercommentary that is slightly unrelated to the day’s ford community wishes Mr. Wilson the best in his lesson plan.” future endeavors and thanks him for his dedication. Third Former Albert Ciardi, one of Mr. Wilson’s Grayson Sessa ‘13
joke from an advisee. Speaking of advisees, Mr. Boham has grown into one of the most sought-after advisors, with only a lucky three joining the group each year. Always the caring teacher, Mr. Boham is sure to have a snack on hand as nine hungry advisees pour into his room after a sleepy double period. Putting aside any work he was doing, Mr. Boham dedicates the advisory block to provide his advisees the love and attention that they have grown to expect from him. Over the years, the bond between Mr. Boham and his students has grown to be one of mutual respect. Many consider him a close friend and share a sense of trust and understanding normally reserved for their peers. This sentiment is shared by the faculty and administration, who turn to Mr. Boham for help with various projects and technical issues. Never one to turn down a friend, Mr. Boham often works into the late hours of the night on projects for others. While the community is sad that he is leaving, it is comforting to know that Mr. Boham is moving on to California next year with the goal of advancing his education in writing and the fine arts. Remember us, Mr. Boham, because as you have always said, “Dulce et decorum est pro schola mori,” or “It is sweet and proper to die for one’s school.”
Mrs. Merhar Grayson Sessa ‘13
Mrs. Elaine Merhar, the beloved math specialist in the enrichment learning center, will be retiring this June after nine years of working at Haverford.
Mrs. Merhar has great memories of working with the Haverford community. She calls her team, Mrs. Barbara Baroody and Mr. Cloran in the Upper School and Mrs. Karen Suter in the Middle School, “terrific.” She fondly
Photo by Elias Economou
Before coming to Haverford, she taught at Baldwin for seven years and Sacred Heart Academy for four. Mrs. Merhar describes this job as her “favorite in teaching math” and the experience as “enriching and [having] brought great satisfaction.” She jokingly mentioned that working at an all-boys school is “refreshing after eleven years in all-girl schools - no more whining!” Though her time at Haverford is drawing to a close, she plans to visit next year in order to maintain her connection with the community. Mrs. Merhar’s service at Haverford leaves behind a positive legacy amongst the students she tutored and her fellow colleagues. Fourth Former Austin Merritt said, “She was always there when I needed her to be, and she not only taught me the material well, but boosted my confidence when I felt that I would have trouble on tests.” Fellow enrichment learning center specialist Mr. Stephen Cloran said, “It’s been a professional pleasure, but more a personal one working with Mrs. Merhar these past four years.” Mr. Cloran referred to her as an “exemplary” math teacher, but also someone whose “warmth, selfless spirit, and smile… stand out.”
remembers Upper School math teachers as always “supportive, cooperative, and encouraging” when it came to her work with their students. Mrs. Merhar recounted a few stories that still make her smile. Once, a student who did poorly on tests and rarely did his homework began “to do his assignments with more process and accuracy” after consulting with Mrs. Merhar. The next week he came back smiling, having received a perfect score on his most recent test. He told her: “I actually get it now that I’m doing my homework each night.” Another student, whom Mrs. Merhar tutored for a few months, asked her “Have you ever considered becoming a math teacher?” Her interactions with the community have been decidedly positive: she calls Haverford boys “appreciative, respectful, honest, and fun to work with.” Mrs. Merhar will certainly be missed as both a supportive mentor and a friendly face, but students and faculty can rest assured knowing that they will see her occasionally roaming the halls next year. As Mr. Cloran said, she had the “everyday demeanor that made you really enjoy spending time with her.”
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Arts & Entertainment
June 2011
Survey Results
Here is how 87 Upper Schoolers Responded James Shecter ‘13
Continued on Page 12...
Artist of the issue: Brennan Kensey Peter Thompson ‘13 His classmates call him a “crazy scientist,” feverishly running around the studio in search of the right color, the right brush, the perfect blend, anything he can do to express his unique ideas on canvas. Fifth Former Brennan Kensey has painted some of the most original art pieces in Haverford’s recent memory. The scope of his artistic works and ability range from the depiction of dreamy, imaginary scenes of outer space to realistic, authentic images of mountains. Although Brennan Kensey is undoubtedly a master of accurately rendering three-dimensional images through painting, he has recently taken it a step further. Two summers ago Kensey visited the Redwood trees in California, an experience he claims will never leave his memory. The tallest of these ancient marvels can be up to 304 feet tall with a diameter of 21 feet, 4 feet longer than the enormous Cadillac Escalade.
Kensey was struck by the sheer size of such trees and figured, two years later, that painting one would be the best way to show his appreciation. Primarily, Kensey wanted to give the viewer a reason to walk up to his painting and then look up, just as they would “being under a tree and looking up at it.” His method: Lots of paint. Over the course of the six weeks Kensey devoted to this painting, he claims to have used three tubes of oil paint. He began painting an entire canvas of bark by taking his paint and squeezing it directly onto his work. Using a fan brush, Kensey was then able to swirl the clumps of paint around in a barklike pattern, being sure to accentuate the large cracks existent in all tree trunks. His inventiveness led him to adding a second canvas with a continuation of the trunk, and branches covered in leaves at the top. Kensey used his skill in lighting and shading effects to create branches that wind about the trunk and appear
to jut out of the canvas as if a viewer could the admirer can not help but look up into the grab one. He used a rag to dab varying shades branches and beyond. Kensey’s decision to of green over paint a whole canand under the vas like the bark of branches, and a tree gave the efdescribed this fect that the paintprocess as his ing was zoomed greatest chalin, and so there lenge. was still more of Kensey’s the tree surroundsix weeks of ing the canvas, hard work again, stressing the have paid off. enormity of these The immense monstrous giants amounts of in California. paint attract Kensey’s skill in attention to three-dimensional the painting paintings is apitself, and Kensey applying paint. Photo by Mr. Chris Fox parent throughout once the viewer his work, but his is up close to the painting and examines the incorporation of human reactions to visual mounds of paint protruding from the surface, stimuli makes this painting extraordinary.
Notables Cap Off an Exciting Year Rémi Yang ‘12 At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, Mr. Michael Stairs and seven veteran Notables warily looked ahead to a rocky year, having lost eleven graduating Sixth Formers the preceding year. But as the Notables stayed together for three days in Avalon, NJ to prepare for their first concert, they realized that the new group’s sound blended together beautifully when singing CCR’s “Down on the Corner” and the spiritual “Ride the Chariot.” They also realized that this year’s group would be a particularly enjoyable one as they went through a series of activities ranging from playing Frisbee on the beach to accompanying Mr. Stairs as he drove aimlessly around Atlantic City. Returning from the Jersey shore, the Notables quickly sprang into action, starting off the school year with the National Anthem in front of the entire school. As the year continued, the group sang at various private parties and churches as well as at the Notables Reunion with past members of the Notables, many of whom commented that they were especially impressed by the fresh group’s sound. Soon, the December holiday season swung
around the corner, during which the seventeen Notables may have spent more time outside rather than inside school with two memorable performances at the breathtakingly beautiful
week, they collaborated with Stu Ambrose, a Notables graduate, to record a CD in Milkboy Studios, which included Notables classics as well as a new arrangement of the Tempta-
Photo Credit: The Haverford School
Longwood Gardens. Returning from winter break, the Notables began a new repertoire, which they displayed first in the immense Princeton University Chapel and then in New York City with the Glee Club and the Brearley School. The next
tions’ “My Girl.” After trudging through the end of winter and having several members star in Haverford’s production of Urinetown, the Notables brought in a big victory at the SixPack Concert in Episcopal Academy’s Chapel, soundly defeating the four other “Inter-Acap-
pella” groups. Nevertheless, with the school year quickly coming to an end, the Notables underclassmen must now tearfully prepare to say farewell to the departing Sixth Formers: the constantly dancing Michael Cain, the ukulele and piano virtuoso Alex Goodman, the incredibly goodlooking Robert Solmssen, the flamboyantly energetic Connell Kling, the incomprehensibly amazing photographer Christian Hopkins, the extremely short Colin Heffernan, and the constant party Martin O’Riordan. Best of luck to these graduating Notables as they head off into the rest of their lives, hopefully remembering to stop by the Notables Reunion once in a couple of decades. As for the 2011-2012 season, the Notables are excited to welcome seven new but extremely talented Notables: Second Former William Solmssen; Third Formers Haram Lee, Toney Goins, Henry Ortmeyer, and Christman Henderer; and Fourth Formers Michael Maggio and D.J. Conner. Next year’s group promises a fantastic sound and entertaining performances. They will head off to Avalon again in August to prepare for an onslaught of small gigs and big concerts. This time, Mr. Stairs will be bringing a GPS.
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June 2011
Arts & Entertainment
Mr. Kolade’s Music Recommendations Mr. Luqman Kolade
For this last round of recommendations, I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of just reviewing new-ish songs that I think are cool or interesting, I have decided to suggest a couple songs that are my personal favorites, all from my “Top Rated” playlist in iTunes.
Frank Ocean – “American Wedding”
Common – “The 6th Sense”
Saul Williams – “Black Stacey”
An interpolation of The Eagles’ “Hotel California” which touches on the state of love and marriage in America, Frank Ocean’s “American Wedding,” manages to lull the listener into a false sense of safety and security until the real message of the song is clear. While on the surface that may be a bit complex, Frank Ocean’s ability to lazily sing about marriage gone wrong is, in a weird way, quite refreshing. As part of the OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) collective, one would not expect such sensibility from the 24-year-old singer and songwriter affiliated with Tyler, the Creator, and his band of musical misfits, but his nostalgia, ULTRA mixtape harkens back to a day when singing was genuine and soulful. Already deemed one of the best releases of the year, Def Jam has decided to re-release the free mixtape as an EP because of its critical acclaim. Additionally, a number of very large acts, such as Beyonce, have linked up with Ocean for future songs, giving him even more credibility. While many have compared Ocean’s sound to that of Drake - nostalgia, ULTRA does at times remind one of Drake’s So Far Gone - he clearly has his own distinct sound and feel, and this song along with the whole mixtape is one to be enjoyed.
Despite being labeled as “vile” by some lesserinformed members of the media, Common will always be known for his uplifting, positive, and well-crafted lyrics. “The 6th Sense,” the first single off of his album Like Water for Chocolate (2000), is masterfully produced by the renowned DJ Premier. With Premier’s signature chopped vocal samples coupled with Bilal’s signature crooning building the chorus, Common gives the listener an honest and insightful look at music and life. It is rare that a song can arouse both the intellect and make one bob their head to its beat, but this song does just that. And when Premier puts his touch on a song, one is reminded of the days of Hip-Hop’s glorious past. This song is one of Common’s better songs and well worth an honest listen.
Although it opens with a rather menacing series of piano chords, “Black Stacey,” from the poet Saul Williams’ self-titled 2004 album is an impressively crafted autobiographical song that delves into the difficulties a young dark-skinned boy faced growing up. While the content of the song sounds quite heavy and uncomfortable when reading about it, especially with the awkwardness of the first line, Williams manages to make a song that is deeply personal but also accessible to all listeners. By addressing the insecurities that many of us face, Williams reaches out to the listeners and draws them in completely, particularly when he challenges the listener to address and face their own insecurities. Musically, the song is extremely well constructed and weaves together both jazz and hip-hop, a combination that is often challenging to synthesize.
A Rare Outlet for Filmmaking Fisher Pressman ‘13 Amidst the already busy month of May, a few students take time from their busy schedules not to study, to write papers, or to see teachers, but instead to make films. Starting in the 2008-09 school year, with the growth in enthusiasm for the film studies in the community, Mr. Boham and a few dedicated students decided to make a place where films, written, edited, and produced by students, could be presented to the community. The group, already affiliated with Bryn Mawr Film Institute, drew up a plan and found an appropriate venue. With a submission policy in place, there soon was interest in this new opportunity to have local student filmmakers present their work to an audience with feedback. And this was how the Main Line Student Film Festival started. Mr. Boham comments, “It’s a celebration of visual literacy and education. I think because of this, more schools will incorporate film into their curriculum, which is a very good thing.”
When asked of the benefits of their new project, he says, “It’s a great problem-solving activity, allowing for the students to show off their creativity and ability in something they are passionate about.” Usually starting with over fifty submissions from seven schools in the area, the films were screened and twenty finalists were chosen. Those films are shown during the Festival. These films range anywhere from a few seconds of animation to fifteen minutes of documentary, but usually last from five to eight minutes. Between one hundred to one hundred fifty people pack into the small theater to watch the twenty films. However, the most exciting part of this festival is the diversity of the genres and filmmaking styles. These can be anything: the door is left open, so it is not uncommon to see stop motion, animation, documentaries, drama, comedy, thriller, horror, science fiction, and even hybrids of these genres all in one night. And to make this experience even better, the students learn from the process.
Mr. Boham Fifth Former Jake Elkin suggests, “Makcommented, “Not only did I ing a film is enjoy making the film, creatgreat because it ing what was happening, combines a lot but I also learned from the of different aptiprocess.” tudes. On the one And so, on May 19, 2011, hand, it is an art, the Third Annual Main Line so students can Student Film Festival took show their style place. and creativity Among Haverford’s parthrough the films. ticipants were Elkin, Sixth So you have to Former Justin Giorgio, and be creative and many others. imaginative to do The students were judged the job. But on by school alumni, other stuthe other hand, it dents, Mr. Boham, and even is a very practia professional filmmaker and cal, logical, and documentarian. problem-solvingThough no Haverford Poster by Mr. Brett Boham orientated job, so films won this year, Mr. Bostudents can learn a ham says, “It was a great turn lot about art, film, and themselves through the out with plenty of fun and a great job for the process.” students this year.”
Poetry to Heavy Metal: Open-Mic Night
Former Thomas Isen and Agnes Irwin student Kelly Spagnola shared a fun tune that had everyone whistling along with them. From the gentle and beautiful words of the But it was not all fun and whistles because poets to the heavy, head-bashing music of there were a few acts that, unfortunately, were “The Final Steps,” the spring Open-Mic Night unable to perform. “No fear. Anything is posproved to show the talents of not only Haversible during ford students, Open-Mic but also those Night,” said from Agnes Feinman. Irwin, BaldHis words win, Episcocame true pal Acadwith a last emy, Merion second Mercy, and performance other schools. from a few The night Episcopal began with a Academy clever poem students from the with a hosts Fifth Rémi Yang playing the piano (left). Photo by Index staff ukulele and a Formers Dean violin. Feinman and Charles Mueller. With an interAlong with passionate music came passionesting and fun version of Edward Sharpe and ate poetry from Fourth Former Michael Green, the Magnetic Zero’s hit song “Home,” Sixth Mike Green ‘13
Sixth Former Michael Cain, Mueller, Feinman, Night?” It truly was a magical evening with and others. The show was kept alive by a beau- Fifth Former Rémi Yang’s soul music; the Jazz tiful monologue by Merion Mercy Academy Band’s half-time performance; and last, but student certainly Madalaina not least, D’Angelo the loud, and two chaotic, incredible head-bangacts by ing, moshSixth Forpitting, mer Alec deathSowers screaming, and Lower bloodMethirsty rion High musical School genius of The Final Steps performing on Open-Mic Night (right). student Alex “The Final Photo by Index staff Santiago, Steps.” during which the English language was renThe night was fantastic because of the great dered in such a way that the audience could not performances and Mr. Ian Ranzer, Feinman, help but clap uncontrollably afterwards. Fourth Mueller, and everyone else who helped orgaFormer Tyler Brooks stated, “It was really nize the night. Everyone had a lot of fun and nice to see new faces up on stage. Who knew cannot wait to see the incredible acts in store all these schools heard about this Open-Mic for next year.
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June 2011
Sports
Undefeated: Lacrosse 2011 Stays #1 Nick Desatnick ‘11 Most wouldn’t think of lacrosse players as a superstitious bunch. With their darkened facemasks and predilection for the weight room, they seem like a rather impervious lot. Nonetheless, members of the high school lacrosse world often play up strange occurrences. Perhaps the most famous example of this tendency is the belief that no team ranked #1 in national preseason rankings will ever finish its season in that position. In recent years, every team that had this honor bestowed upon it in February has fallen victim to this “curse,” dropping games to unexpected opponents and plummeting from the top spot. That is, every team except for Haverford. Haverford Lacrosse has been the story of the year. With nineteen players committed to top Division I programs, the team generated much interest in the off-season, resulting in its firstplace ranking. But amidst all of the sensational stories, Inside Lacrosse cover-shoots, and high expectations, many writers and commentators speculated that the team was not up to the hype, citing the toughest schedule in the country as a reason to believe the team would fall victim to the “curse.” Haverford has since silenced all doubters. In its first game of the season, the team traveled to Baltimore and defeated St. Paul’s on its home turf for the first time in Haverford School history. The Fords followed up on this success by charging through the MIAA, cementing their ranking by beating perennial powerhouses Loyola-Blakefield and McDonough. Under the leadership of Sixth Form captains Matt Walters, Brendan McGrath, Joe McCallion, Carl Walrath, and Conor Kelly, the team fired on all cylinders throughout the month of April, blistering by Abington, St. Augustine, and Germantown Academy. After a harrowing 9-8 overtime victory against St. Joe’s Prep, the team
cruised past Inter-Ac rivals Malvern Prep and EA before beating Connecticut power and #2 in the nation Darien at the Third Annual Checking4Cancer Tournament. The Fords continued their run, beating Penn Charter, Radnor, and La Salle, before facing regional
With its win over The Hill School, the Fords secured a spot in the semi-final round against a formidable Lawrenceville squad. After losing its early lead in the third quarter, Haverford rallied back in the fourth for a 13-11 win, thereby advancing to its third Inter-Ac
Carl Walrath drives around the net before his game-winning goal. Photo by Mr. Tim Stay rival, and then #2 in the country, Conestoga at the Katie Sampson Tournament. In front of over 2,000 fans, Haverford completed the unprecedented task of beating two #2 ranked teams in the same season with an 11-6 victory. The month of May has seen the streak stay alive with wins over Malvern, EA, and Penn Charter to secure a perfect Inter-Ac record and Haverford’s first outright league title in 26 years. After the team completed its perfect regular season run by cruising past Moorestown 11-1, it turned its attention to the Inter-Ac tournament.
Crew Team Rows to Success
championship game in as many years. On May 25th, 43 Haverfordians, clad in their tournament blues, made the trip to Cabrini College for their final game. The eyes of the lacrosse world were on Edith Robb Dixon Field as the Fords locked horns with the Malvern Prep Friars in front of a sold-out crowd. From the very first whistle, it looked as if the “curse” was going to carry the day as it had for the past 26 years; the Fords fell to a 4-1 deficit after a commanding performance by the Friars. Undeterred, the Fords fought back for the three remaining quarters - the
gio and Third Former Gavin Adams came in 1st for the novice double. The Fifth Form quad came After Stotesbury, City Championships, the in 5th and the Third Form quad came in 3rd. With Manny Flicks, and a few other races, the Rowing these strong results, the crew team practiced for team can reflect on a very successful season. the next two weeks in preparation for Stotes. The season started well with all the divisions Stotesbury, the largest high school regatta in the of the team rowing at their peak. The varsity four world, was similarly successful for the Haverford and quad have both put up very impressive results team. The already successful varsity double came in the in 2nd, the Fifth first four Form double Manny came in 6th, and Flicks: the lightweight they have double came in finished 4th. The varsity above four came in third for 16th and the several of Fifth Form four the races came in 17th. in both And, finally, events. the Third Form For the quad came in Alex Rhodes and Alex Goodman row their way to victory. 5th, the Fifth junior racers Photo by Christian Hopkins (Fourth and Form quad came Fifth Formin 5th, and the ers), a JV four and quad have shown Haverford varsity single came in 21st. to have a very impressive young class, ready to Overall, these results are some of the best in become varsity rowers. As for the Third Formers, recent history. Alex Rhodes agrees, “We have perthe season has gone well for their first year rowformed well, won races, and done a good job in ing; they have been in a number of events ranging our training. We did a great job in Stotes, Cities, from quads to fours to doubles. and the entire season.” After the first four flicks, the coaches did some This season was a great one. Coach Jim Barker rearranging and made the final lineup, the one for commented, “We had a great season. We rowed Cities and “Stotes.” The varsity quad was made well, won races, and are in a very good place for into the varsity four, a new junior varsity four and next year.” lightweight four were made, and the junior varsity Coach Bonnie Malumed agreed, “I am so quad and Third Form boats were kept mostly the proud of the boys. They really came a long way same. from the beginning of the season and have shown Sixth Former Chris Magnani commented, “This themselves to be very good rowers. They came season was great. We have a large senior class together as a team, did what they needed to do, and healthy sophomore class. We had a really and in the end did all of this in a successful way, competitive program with great boats and rowers; but also had fun and improved themselves in the we will have a great year with a large team and a process.” large leading senior class to help us win.” And so, the team enters the next stage of its At the City Championships, the crew rowed season. Over the summer, the team can be seen very well. Though the varsity four did not make on the river working out and training for the fall the finals, many boats did. Sixth Formers Alex season. The boys will train all summer to prepare Goodman and Alex Rhodes came in 1st in the for next spring, where they will again have the varsity double, and Fourth Former Michael Magchance to row, win, learn, and have a good time. Fisher Pressman ‘13
defense tightened up, shutting out Malvern for the balance of the game, while the offense, attacking the Malvern goal from every angle, slowly closed the gap. Nonetheless, the tying goal eluded the team as the final quarter of the season drew to an end. After Malvern made a definitive stop, all looked lost, but the Friars bungled the clear, allowing Carl Walrath to score the Ford’s tying goal with under 40 seconds left in regulation. With some inspired midfield play, Joe McCallion was able to secure the ball off the draw and retain possession, leading to a Haverford time-out. Coming out of the huddle, the offense probed the stingy Malvern defense. With less than 12 seconds left, the ball found its way into Walrath’s stick once again. Churning around the back side of the goal, he ducked under the double-team and tucked the winning goal into the side of the net with 9.8 seconds on the clock. The crowd erupted. With a comefrom-behind-victory, Haverford Lacrosse had done the unthinkable: they had won their third consecutive Inter-Ac Tournament, they had completed the perfect season, and they had reminded the country why they are #1. Perhaps Grove Stewart summed it up best when he said, “I couldn’t think of a better way to end not just an unbelievable season, but also a great high school career.” Indeed, not only was this 23rd win the last of the 2011 season, it was also the last in a Haverford jersey for the team’s 17 Sixth Formers. While the team will certainly feel the loss of these stalwarts, it has much to look forward to: the rising Sixth Form class boasts talent in all positions. This line-up, bolstered by solid rising Fifth Form and Fourth Form classes, is more than likely to perpetuate Haverford’s success in the years to come. For now, though, the team is content to enjoy the moment, basking in the afterglow of a truly unprecedented season. Senior attackman Brent Tomlinson asks with a laugh, “What curse?”
Tennis Destroys Competition James Shecter ‘13
Despite losses of key Sixth Form veteran players, little support from the Haverford student body, and nearly a dozen postponements because of rain, Haverford’s tennis team held the Inter-Ac title for the second consecutive season. The young group of players developed such camaraderie that their team spirits were never hindered en route to the coveted title. The Fords went 9-1 against league opponents. Their only loss came early in the season away against the formidable Episcopal Academy team, though the Fords avenged that loss at their “home” meeting against EA at Bryn Mawr College. Four times throughout the season, the Fords beat their opponents without losing a single match (7-0 sweep). Haverford defeated all other Inter-Ac opponents twice each. Most recently, every Haverford player made it to the finals of the end-of-the-year Inter-Ac Tournament at Episcopal Academy. The finals were barely underway on Thursday, May 19 when they were postponed because of rain: an often-recurring theme throughout the year for Haverford Tennis. The matches resumed on Tuesday, May 24 and the Fords clinched the Tournament. 3rd singles, 3rd doubles, and 4th doubles won their final matches. The Fords’ singles lineup was as follows: Fourth Former Jordan Lieb at 1st position, Third Former Sam Kendall at 2nd position, and Fifth Former Dan Brennan at 3rd position. Representing Haverford in doubles were Fourth Formers James Shecter and Bradley Scherer at 1st position, Fourth Former James Tarte and Fifth Former Andrew Han at 2nd position, Third Former Naryan Rustgi and Sixth Form Captain Dan Hawkins at 3rd position, and Fifth Former Kyle Holsten and Fourth Former Connor Curry at 4th position. Third Formers Faasel Khan and John Zipf were the team’s alternates. At the end of April, the top five positions on the team (1st singles through 2nd
doubles) went to Baltimore to compete in the New-England Mid-Atlantic Tennis Tournament, otherwise known as NEMA. Haverford was disappointed with a 7th place finish (among nearly twenty schools) because it had finished in 4th the previous year. Lieb and Kendall both finished well in their respective consolation brackets after facing highly skilled, nationally-ranked opponents. Scherer and Shecter lost in the semifinals of their draw, coming in 3rd place in the First Doubles bracket, the highest Haverford showing in the tournament. Han and Tarte squared off against seemingly unbeatable opponents and lost early. Coach Antonio Fink and assistant Mark Gottlieb stressed how important doubles would be if the Fords wanted to repeat as champions. Coach Fink remarked earlier in the year that “doubles counts just as much as singles, but there’s more doubles matches… We have to win in doubles if we want to win the Inter-Ac.” Fink turned this idea into action during practices, and surely enough, it paid off. He implemented an “attack the net” style of play for both singles and doubles players. This worked like magic on the doubles courts and was an incredibly useful alternative style of play for the singles players. Both 1st and 2nd Doubles went undefeated against Inter-Ac opponents, dropping only three sets the whole year between them. The 3rd and 4th doubles were not quite as successful, though they held their ground and won some very tough matches. Next year, Jordan Lieb’s two younger brothers will join the team. “I don’t see how we could lose the Inter-Ac next year with those two [on the team],” said Coach Gottlieb. The team will likely perform much better at the NEMA tournament with the addition of the Lieb twins and several other rising Third Formers. The Inter-Ac co-champion tennis team would sincerely like to thank Coach Fink and Gottlieb, all the supportive parents, and the fans.
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June 2011
Sports
Baseball Secures Independent School State Title Will Schwartz ‘12 Despite a late-season surge, Haverford’s baseball team was unable to come up with a second consecutive Inter-Ac Title; however, the Fords won the post-season Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament, crowning them Independent School State Champions. The squad finished the regular season with a solid record of 19 wins and 6 losses. The 6-4 mark in the league left the team three games behind champion Malvern Prep. Additionally, the Fords finished with sole possession of 2nd place in front of Chestnut Hill Academy. If CHA had beaten Malvern near the end of the season, the Fords would have tied with the Blue Devils for 2nd place. Despite opening with a too-close-forcomfort victory over the traditionally dormant Shipley Gators, the Fords quickly rolled into gear to the tune of an 8-0 start, highlighted by a 5-0 victory over defending PIAA District 1 AAA champions Strath Haven and a 7-1 victory over the despised Polar Bears of Hortonville (WI). A lack of clutch hitting in a 4-0 loss to West Wausau (WI) in Orlando was the lone blemish on the Fords record as they headed into Inter-Ac play. In a rematch of the previous year’s thrilling Inter-Ac Title match that saw the Fords defy expectations to win the 2010 Crown, Germantown Academy made the long haul to Haverford seeking revenge. They earned the
win in a sloppy 13-9 decision in favor of the the plate resulted in a lineup that would make Patriots. This loss and the previous loss to West any pitcher tremble. While this did result in Wausau set the scene for a brutal ten-game some fabulous hitting, Malvern Prep and Penn stretch of baseball: the Fords hit the cover off Charter both had very skilled pitchers who the ball, but balance their struggled heat and their to pitch and offspeed defend in the pitches. The same game. Fords still A 12-2 prevailed 7-6 victory over over Penn arch-rival Charter when Episcopal facing the Academy Quaker’s Big saw the Gun Kenny Fords finally Koplove. combine the In addition masterful to the pitching of impressive Fifth Former hitting, the Eric Close Fords were Nick Craig (right) goes for the out. with a lineup bolstered by a Photo Credit: Jim Roese Photography that finally set deep pitching ablaze at the plate. While Sixth Formers Nick staff. 6’ 6” ace Eric Close constantly gave Craig, Vince Rondolone, Mike Washington, fabulous efforts for the squad, who, combined and Ryan Blake had been hot throughout with Blake, completed a great one-two duo the season, the Ford’s fortunes really took a that any team in the competitive Inter-Ac turn for the better when Fifth Formers Gus would desire. Fourth Form Southpaw Matt Costalas, Andrew Landolfi, and Sixth Former Galetta was stellar whenever the team needed Scotty Safford started to flex their muscles him, whether it be a spot start or a call out at the plate. Some clutch hits from Sixth of the bullpen. Fifth Former Matt Broomall Former Thomas Harper and the emergence of dominated any team he was given the talented Fourth Former Stephen Fitzgerald at opportunity to face, and fellow Fifth Former
Vince Piccioni, a flame-throwing righty, was capable of shutting down opponents whenever a starter could not finish the game. While the fine form of the Fords saw them put together a strong run of seven wins in a row and climb out of the bottom half of the league, the victory over Chestnut Hill Academy, needed to claim a share of the illustrious Inter-Ac title, never arrived, and the regular season ended with a thud to the tune of an 11-5 loss to Malvern Prep. Despite the setback to the despised Friars, the Fords entered the Independent Schools Tournament with their heads held high as the three seed, with Malvern Prep at two and Mercersburg Academy as the number one. The road to a title began against the lowly Abington Friends on Senior Day: the Fords won that game 15-12. In the second round, Haverford won a nailbiter against Shipley 14-12. Then, the Fords faced Malvern in the semifinal round and dominated, winning 13-4. Haverford took out two of their biggest rivals en route to the final at the Tournament, a feat that was incredibly satisfying for the whole team. The final was set: Haveford School against The Hill School. The game was a battle from the first pitch, but the Fords pulled away late and won 8-5. That victory capped a wondrous, aweinspiring season for the Fords. With many young players whose talent has yet to be showcased, Haverford baseball’s future looks bright.
Track and Field Exceeds Expectations
Golf Team takes the Inter-Ac
Track Classic and Delco Champs showcased the team’s young talent. At Delcos, Morgan won the triple jump The Haverford School’s Track and Field season was a with a 41’10 leap. Bocobo finished just inches behind success. After losing key contributors and being seen as Morgan with a 4th place finish. a much weaker team than those of years past, the squad At The Penn Relays, Coach Avery sent two young more than pulled through. Fifth Former Jonathan Smith relay teams to race in one of the most adrenaline-filled could not have said it better, “After losing the likes of track events in the country. Due to Weiner’s injury, these Tommy [Hopkins] and Taylor [Gregory] and a strong were not the teams the coaches wished, but the members senior class, no one would have thought we could have more than made up for the loss. The 4x100 team, which been as good as we were.” was comprised of Fifth Former Brendan Purcell, MorThe season was complimented by the leadership of gan, Thomas, and Bocobo, finished 3rd in the indepenSixth Former Alex Kumar and his fellow upperclassmen. dent school division, running a blistering time of 44.80. Though they were not big scorers, the guidance and posi- The 4x400 was even more dramatic: Morgan, Purcell, tive attitude of the Elek, and Bocobo Sixth Form was just finished 4th with a as important as the time of 3:33. After huge contributors on this strong showing, the team: the Fourth it was back to the and Fifth Forms. track for more work Without many because the Inter-Ac Third Formers, Championships were these Forms had to in just a few weeks. carry extra weight. Everyone at InterObviously, the Acs set personal season’s accomrecords, but the plishments could competition, bluntly not have happened put, was just better. without the great Morgan got 3rd in The team at the Independant State Championships. coaches: Mr. Chris triple jump, and Photo by Ms. Dawn Blake Avery, Mr. Chris Fox, Wiener took home 5th and Ms. Christina Meier7th in the 200 and 400 meFernandez, Mr. Bryan Skelly, and Mr. Luqman Kolade. ter dashes, respectively. Purcell took home 4th and 5th in In the scrimmage vs. Harriton, the team came through the hurdles, and Elek placed 3rd in the 800 meter race. and performed to its potential even though it was only a Bocobo took home 2nd in the 400m, 3rd in the 200m warm-up for the college showcase: The Colonial Classic. dash and 110-hurdles, and 5th in triple jump. The track In that early-season meet, Fourth Former Andrew Wiener team finished in 5th place overall. and Fifth Former Zach Thomas showed promise for the The high-point of the season came with Independent weeks ahead, setting personal records in the 100 meter States where the squad took home 2nd overall with race with times of 11.46 and 11.76 seconds, respectively. strong performances from “multi-eventers” Wiener, PurFourth Former Chris Morgan ran a 12.17; a particularly cell, Bocobo, and Morgan. Bocobo brought home gold in strong time since it was a new event for him. Sixth Forthe 400 meter dash. mer James Kuritzkes ran a personal record of 57 seconds Though the Sixth Form will be graduating, the team in the 400 meter race. Fifth Former Geoff Bocobo took is definitely in the running for winning the Inter-Ac next home 4th place in that event as well. Also, Fourth Foryear because few of the Ford’s top scorers are Sixth mer Lucas Elek ran extremely well, finishing 8th in the Formers whereas the graduating class at many other 800 meter with Fourth Former Ros McDermott not far schools represented the frequent scorers. The Haverford behind at 2:11. Fellow Fourth Former Josh Collins ran a School Track and Field program has a bright future. As great sub-5 minute mile. Brendan Purcell put it, “With all the seniors of other Unfortunately, very little resulted from the Inter-Ac schools graduating, it is easy to see us finishing on top meets: four of them were rained out. Nonetheless, the PA next year.”
both an Inter-Ac and school record. This record came down to the The 2011 spring golf team confinal putt of the match. As a Third sisted of 14 players: Sixth Formers Former, Van Arkel stepped onto the Armen Megreen the rest of likian, Sam the Fords stood Richman, around the green Sachin Patel, boiling over Luke Doughwith exciteerty, and Ted ment. Van Arkel Brennan; knocked down a Fifth Formers tricky eight-foot Jimmy Ryan, putt to secure Kevin Zipf, the record for and Mac the Fords. Selverian; Following this Fourth Formhuge win, the ers Garrett Fords took on Grubb and Malvern for both Scott Jaster; the Inter-Ac and Third Formthe Hayward ers Ryan Cup. The Fords Tetrault, Jake had yet anVan Arkel, other impressive and Cole round, beating Berman; the Friars by and Second fifteen strokes. Mac Selverian makes a putt. A three under 32, Former Alex Photo by Ms. Dawn Blake Fisher. and an even par The Fords 35 by captains started off the season with a loss Selverian and Brennan respectively, against Episcopal Academy, but won highlighted this round. the next ten matches, securing the After capturing the Inter-Ac title, title of outright Inter-Ac Champions. five Fords, Jaster, Berman, SelverPlaying four out of their first five ian, Brennan, and Zipf, were named matches in the pouring rain, the First Team All Inter-Ac performFords rallied from their loss by deers. The Fords also performed very feating EA in their second matchup, well at the Inter-Ac Championship, CHA twice, GA twice, Penn Charter where Berman shot four over 75 on twice, The Hill School once, and a very challenging course. Malvern twice. Under the leadership of coaches Throughout the season the Fords Mr. Gerard Rooney and Mr. Gui posted impressive scores, winning Costin, the Fords were able to by ten or more strokes nine times, accomplish their original goal of and twenty or more strokes seven winning the Inter-Ac. Though the times. However, the most impressive Fords will be losing some players round came on a Friday afternoon next year, the super talented group against a tough GA team. The Fords of juniors, sophomores, and freshposted a score of 216 (an average men keep the future of the program of 36 for the top six players), tying looking very bright.
Geoff Bocobo ‘12
Sam Richman ‘11 & Kevin Zipf ‘12
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June 2011
Sports Rising Third Formers Eager to Enhance Haverford Athletics
Austin Merritt ‘13
This year’s Second Formers, the rising Third Formers, have hope to make an impact on Upper School athletics next year. During their time in the Middle School, they have excelled on the basketball court, the lacrosse field, and even the baseball diamond. There is not one athlete that makes this class great, rather their impressive athletic abilities are abundant and widespread. There are several aspects that make this Form shine athletically, but even more they are a very compatible, well-rounded group of young men. Assistant Athletic Director Michael Murphy explained, “They cover a lot of the bases. We’ve got speed guys and also size guys.” Some members of this Form have both, but what separates these student-athletes from years past is their combination of these characteristics. These athletic talents are important in basketball, football, lacrosse, and almost every other sport that is played in the Middle and Upper Schools. Coach Murphy said, “The coaches in the Upper School are excited to see these athletes rising from the Middle School into the Upper School in sports like track, baseball, and
Middle School Winter Sports Assembly. Photo by Ms. Dawn Blake
football.” What makes them a strong group is their wide distribution of talents and skill sets, components that are essential to the various sports teams. Second Former Brendon Hawley agreed with coach Murphy’s statements. Hawley said, “I think, as a whole, we have kids that are good
Frisbee Ends Well Andrew Helber ‘12 The fifth season of Ultimate Frisbee at Haverford has been by far the team’s best ever. The team of over 30 players, coached by Mr. Stephen Kim and Dr. Andrew Fenton, finished with a stellar 10-3 record. After starting off the season with three straight wins, the team picked up their first loss playing eventual “Division 1 City” runner-up Radnor High School, 10-15, despite putting up a great fight. The next few games were in a round robin tournament at North Penn High School. The Fords lost 15-13 in a grudge match with Cheltenham, whom the team had beaten earlier in the season. Immediately after, the team responded well in a game against North Penn, winning by a score of 15-12. The Fords then had two other games, both of which they won with ease. The Fords were led by captains Nick Rhodes (Sixth Form), who has thrown the most touchdown passes of anyone on the team this season, and Andrew Helber (Fifth Form). First year players and Sixth Formers Will Nelligan and John “Dinger” Shields were often seen throwing the disk from end zone to end zone for touchdowns for the Fords. The team even received help from Third Formers, including Christman Henderer, Nick Helber, Nathaniel McManus, and Chris Bradley. Fourth Formers Mike Green, Tyler Brooks, and Patrick Somers also contributed to the team. Even Fifth Formers Frank Brown, Jake Elkin, Deepak Bhagat, and Brennan Kensey helped the team with some brilliant touchdowns. The Frisbee team would like to thank all of the Sixth Formers for their constant effort throughout the entire season. The Fords completed the season at City Division II Championships. After two easy wins in the first and second round, they faced a tough challenge against Perkiomen Valley. The Fords were able to thwart this team’s zone defense, winning 11-3. In the championship game against North Penn, the Fords lost a hard-fought contest, 13-11. Finishing 2nd at Cities was still a great achievement for the Fords. The team also won its 5th straight Inter-Ac title, holding an undefeated league record for five years straight. Finally, the captains and coaches would like to thank every member of the team for their constant work at practice, their daily presence at Polo Field, and their patience throughout all of the schedule changes this year.
in every sport. Some kids are more athletic, but the contribution of everyone is what makes our teams successful.” He also remarked, “Most kids are talented in multiple sports.” Many of these Second Form athletes do, in fact, excel in more than one sport. This enables the coaches not to rely on a select group of guys to carry
the team to victory: instead, the rosters of each given sport are deep with talent. Overall, Hawley believes that the class’s best sport is lacrosse, which is arguably the most popular sport in the Upper School. Hawley stated that his Form is currently very strong in lacrosse, and the talent that they will be receiving next year with new students will do nothing but augment the team’s prowess and hopefully lead them to another undefeated season, like the current JV lacrosse team just accomplished. The Second Form does not succeed solely upon talent, but from the sheer number of students that play on the sports fields, courts, and water. The more players on varsity teams, the better the programs will do throughout their grueling seasons. Whether these rising Third Formers ride the bench next year or are instant successes, they will certainly be the Inter-Ac’s most talented group of Third Formers. Because Middle School students are required to play three sports, these athletes have utilized their skill sets in a variety of different ways. The Upper School should learn from them and try to take part in as many sporting activities as possible in order to enhance the athletic teams next year, sharing the success with the rising Third Form.
NFL Lockout & The Philadelphia Eagles Drew Field ‘13 After a long, grueling week many Americans look forward to Sundays when they can gather in front of the television and relax as they watch football. Fans love to root for their favorite teams, and many, in addition, create their own virtual teams in a fantasy football league. All of this is in jeopardy right now without a Collective Bargaining Agreement worked out between the owners and the NFL Players’ Association. Football fans are worried about the possibility of no season next year. While fans would surely be excited if a CBA gets done before the season begins, the consequences of the lockout are damaging to the Eagles’ shot at a championship and the league in general. At this point in a typical off-season, teams would be working out their depth charts and players would be going through an off-season workout program because the NFL Draft and free agency would have already been completed. While the current circumstances did not get in the way of the draft, no player transactions are allowed right now, and teams are not allowed to be in contact with the players. This off-season seems to be of particular importance for the Philadelphia Eagles. With former offensive line coach and new defensive coordinator Castillo in place, as well as the new additions of legendary defensive and offensive line coaches Washburn and Mudd, this time off would have been a great opportunity for the coaches to start discussing new schemes and techniques with the players. Juan Castillo has spent the last thirteen years as an Eagles coach on the other side of the football, and while he has always considered himself a defensively-minded coach, this year still would be his first time
calling plays on defense. It is of the utmost importance that he be on the same page with the players on this young and upcoming defensive unit. Also, Washburn and Mudd are planning to implement very different strategies from what the Eagles had done in the past. Washburn likes to spread his defensive ends out wide and let them get up the field quickly without having to read the play first in his one-gap scheme. Mudd wants his offensive lineman to use a similar grittiness in their play, and he has been known to prefer more
Photo Credit: www.examiner.com
athletic offensive lineman rather than the massive ones the Eagles have been known to develop in years past. It is also to important to remember that while quarterback Michael Vick took over the starting position quickly last year, he has still never had a full off-season as the starter. While Vick’s season last year was nothing short of remarkable, it was evident, especially at the end of the year, that Vick struggled when teams started rushing extra men. While he arguably has the best athletic tools of any quarterback in the league,
some of his reads at the offensive line were questionable. Many fans remember that on the first play of the Eagles-Packers playoff game last year, Vick and the offensive line were unable to adjust to the the blitz of extra linebacker Desmond Bishop. More practice repetitions for Vick working on situations like these would contribute to his development as a complete quarterback. The second consequence of the lockout is not being able to move players through free agency or trade. Fourth Former Garrett Grubb stated, “One player who the Eagles have wanted to get through free agency is Nnamdi Asomugha, and obviously they cannot sign him or even discuss possible contracts with him at this point.” This former Oakland Raiders’ cornerback will be an unrestricted free agent when a CBA gets resolved, and most believe that he is one of the top two or three cornerbacks in the NFL. Fourth Former Henry Brooks said, “I have heard that there was a possibility the Eagles would trade Kevin Kolb for Arizona defensive back Patrick Peterson.” This cornerback from Arizona was the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he would fit an area of need on the Eagles defense. Even though Arizona needed a quarterback badly this offseason, they passed on a few options in the draft, and many speculated that they were hoping to acquire Eagles’ backup quarterback Kevin Kolb. Both from a personnel standpoint and the inability of the new coaches to work with players, the NFL lockout provides major challenges for the 2011 Eagles. While this team certainly has a lot of young talent, this off-season could have been the one that pushed the Eagles over the top. Unfortunately, the inability of the players and owners to work out a deal might just be the setback that keeps the Eagles from winning their first Super Bowl.
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June 2011
Survey Results Part 2 James Shecter ‘13
See the rest on Page 7
The Outdex
Where Things Just Don’t Make Sense
In The News...
Fitz Tepper is actually a member of the Class of 2012 and not currently a Sixth Former as is widely believed. Peter Laviolette has signed one of Haverford’s goalies to a lucrative contract in order to shore up the Flyers goal-tending for next year. Charles Mueller was on time to a class. The recent Student Council speeches are the most exciting thing Student Council will do all year. Trump in his most recent interview cited Joe Biden as his main source of concern in running against an Obama-Biden ticket as he quote: “Has better hair plugs than I do.” Did you know Peter Rogers drinks coffee? The Haverford School is environmentally friendly! Have we told you that yet? Mr. Boham is once again a freshman in college. Severinghaus Library witnessed a rare occurrence when an Upper-Schooler went to check out a book for a research project. With such a request having gone unmade in the past decade, the librarians thought the student was pulling a prank and responded with a “Bye Bye, See you Monday.” The football team has become the first Haverford team to buy themselves Championship rings. Following this precedent, the wrestling team will be buying themselves Championship belts for their work this past season.
“PUT YOUR FEET DOWN!” A one-on-one interview with Mr. Fifer on why he can’t stand students putting their feet on the stage. Outdex: Mr. Fifer, this past year has brought an unprecedented number of cases where students have rested their feet on the edge of the stage. Why do you think there’s been such an increase? Mr. Fifer: I believe it all has to do with the media’s glorification of this disgusting act. Pop culture and the main stream media seem to put more of a value on this Fonzie-like and carefree act rather than on proper sitting manners. Plus its very dangerous to people who are sitting on the stage. Outdex: How is it dangerous? Mr. Fifer: Well my senior year in high school I was picked as Homecoming King. I went on stage to receive my crown and tripped over the outstretched feet of some hoodlum who was resting his feet on the stage. I fell and broke my right arm in two places, requiring surgery and ending my chances of becoming a professional baseball player later on in life. Outdex: But isn’t that an isolated incident? Why should the rest of the school suffer for an act, albeit egregious, that was perpetrated against you? Is it necessary to call out students in assembly for it which creates a bigger distraction? Mr. Fifer: Just don’t do it, it’s disrespectful. Thanks for reading and we hope you look forward to our next issue where we conduct a hard-hitting interview with Mr. Tirado about why he can’t stand backpacks on desks.
Haverford DECA has been so successful that Berkshire Hathaway is now using the team as a consulting firm.
Haverford Mascot? Who and what is the Haverford Mascot? On rare occasions, Haverford School students see a mythical beast roaming the campus of Haverford. Upon first glance it appears to be some sort of dragon. Upon further inspection it is revealed that it actually is... you know what we’re going to say its a dragon, there’s no way that’s a horse. It’s not possible that any horse would have a crimson red body and a yellow mane, the closest “horse” likeness to it is Rapidash from Pokemon and even that’s a stretch. Plus, the main reason we know it’s not a horse is that Roby Burch hasn’t tried to ride it to school. Now that its settled that our mascot is a dragon, who is it? It can’t be a member of the faculty as no faculty members
want to dress up in a dragon costume for EA Day. It can’t be any players on the Soccer, Cross Country, Football (InterAc Champs!), or even Water Polo team, as they all play on EA Day. Also the person in the mascot suit has to be at least six feet tall, which effectively cuts out nearly every other member of the student body. With all of these criteria there can only be a few people who actually can be in the suit. After running a lengthy investigation which consisted of asking Mr. Fifer who it was (greeted with an answer of “Stop bothering me, one interview was enough.”) we here at the Outdex are going to say it will forever go unsolved. We might never know who the mascot is, but for the sake of giving you an answer we’re going to say...Mr. Rein.
Maybe Jack Meehan is the mascot; It seems like something he would do.