The Index
The student voice... since 1888
Ευταξια Σωζειν Δοκει
June 2018
Volume LXXX, No. 9
Haverford, Pennsylvania
www.havindex.com
by Samuel Turner ‘18 & PJ Rodden ’18 We are the Class of 2018. We have transformed from young boys into Haverford men of scholarship, athletics, and arts. Men of the world. Men of integrity. Haverford has served as a home to all of us, and
we are so grateful to its faculty and staff for nurturing our potential and inspiring us to fulfill it. This year, it was our turn to lead the school and establish a distinguished legacy. Sixth Form year presented us with the opportunity to set the bar
Ms. Buckwalter’s legacy NICK CHIMICLES ‘19
Yet another mother and son enter the inclusive pre-K room. Ms. Buckwalter’s face radiates excitement as she recognizes one of her many junior-K alums. Loving hugs are exchanged and the thank-
MS. JESSICA COVELLO
history to do so. We trained, competed, and excelled at the highest level. We sought excellence. cont. pg. 2
Mr. Upton retires his sarcasm OBAIDA ELAMIN ‘20
ful third grader adds to the table flooded with gift bags, flowers and little-hand-written cards.
Ms. Eileen Buckwalter and pre-K students.
higher than any class has in the past. We had the opportunity to secure Haverford’s tenth consecutive EA Day win. To win the Heyward Cup, given to the school with the most Inter-Ac titles, four years straight. And to be only the second class in
cont. pg. 18
INDEX STAFF
DR. MICHAEL NANCE
Nick Pippis ’19 recaps the ups and downs of the lacrosse season on pg. 17
Mr. Upton has been teaching for 39 years, meaning that he could have taught your father when he was in high school. After retirement, Mr. Upton plans to keep on coaching Track and Field at Haverford College. He also plans on travelling. The first time I walked into Mr. Upton’s room was the week before final exams of my Third Form year. All of the other teachers were busy or gone. I’d been staring at this quadratic for a couple of hours trying to solve the equation for its focus and its directrix. I went to go ask for help. I’d heard rumors about Mr. Upton. “He is genuine, fair, funny, no-nonsense, smart and is a great teacher who will help you at your own expense,” students said. I found out that day what that meant. After all of 30 seconds I walked out of his classroom smiling like an idiot and feeling like one too. I later learned more about him. If you asked a stupid question he would answer it, but at your expense. Although you were just the butt end of a joke, you find yourself laughing along with him and the rest of the class. Some of his most common phrases include — sarcastically — “Go play in traffic;” “Lancaster is that way;” “This is (insert student’s name here)’s theme song;” “Solve it or die;” and most people’s least favorite, “Put away everything but a pencil and a calculator.” Some of these sayings might sound a bit harsh, but most find them funny in context. “His class is laid out in a sense where if you do the homework and study you are guaranteed a good grade,” said Fifth Former Petey Lemmon. People look forward to the long blocks in math with him, because his class is fun to be in and because of his famous music quizzes. He makes a short one-minute compilation of songs all having something in common. He gives it to us and we have to guess the song’s name and who the artist is. A couple of the more interesting categories
he’s done include songs in a decade, by letter, or sometimes we’ve had to guess the thing they had in common. For example, one was James Bond film song artists. On average we guess four or five — on a good day six — then he calls on Fourth Former Aidan Lowe, who starts listing off the song titles and artists. Once in a while he’ll even stump Lowe. cont. pg. 6
MS. DAWN BLAKE
Samuel Turner ’18 wishes farewell to Mr. Matthew Green on pg. 3
Mr. Rob Upton at his desk.
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The Index - Editorial
June 2018
Class of 2018 Farewell, cont. We never did storm the field on EA Day, nor did we hoist the Heyward Cup. We couldn’t complete the decade of excellence, and The Sweater lies in Newton Square, not Haverford. We struggled, but for every time we fell, we got up once more. And isn’t that what high school’s all about? The gap left by The Sweater was filled in other ways. In those details, the less visible details of greatness, we qualify ourselves as a great Haverford class. Our greatness comes from within. It stands
as the enduring friendships that we have created during our time here and as the lasting brotherhood and cherished memories deep inside these sacred halls.
Finally, we celebrate our biggest accomplishment as a class: all of us walking across the stage to receive our diplomas at Commencement.
2017-18 Editors-in-Chief (L to R): Samuel Turner ’18, P.J. Rodden ’18, Nick Chimicles ’19
INDEX STAFF
And let’s not forget our achievements. In the fall, our Soft Robotics team placed first in an international competition, filing a patent as they pushed science to new realms. Three of us made themselves vulnerable in thoughtful reflections before the student body. In the winter, the basketball team claimed the Inter-Ac title with an undefeated record for the first time since 1927. The swimming team won Easterns for the first time in school history, and the squash team placed second in the nation. In the spring, we published a new Honor Code and hosted the first Inter-Ac dance competition. Our Varsity Four boat finished best in the country, and we finished performing our last of three plays: Henry V, West Side Story, and The Laramie Project. We boasted three National Merit winners and set several school records on the field, in the weightroom, and in the pool. Finally, we celebrate our biggest accomplishment as a class: all of us walking across the stage to receive our diplomas at Commencement. For some of us, it all started in the trailers outside of Lower School. We arrived at a stage of building — we grew with the school. We learned to read in Ms. Thomas’ Reading Corner and began to wonder about the world. Mr. Palmer showed it to us in his planetarium, where we saw the stars and wondered how far could we go, how fast. In Mr. Kearney’s fourth grade basketball league, we surely went fast. But we were only children, we needed vehicles. In fifth grade, we built and raced our own racing cars in Ms. Joloza’s science class. We also slowed down and reflected: Mr. Lignore challenged us to write five-paragraph essays. Enter middle school. Monthly poem recitals imbued us with simul-
taneous awe and fear at risk of Dr. Turner’s dead body locker. English class showed us everything from MLA format to Primus basketball. Doctor Reich and Mrs. Quinn prepared us to enter a multilingual world, while eating squid with Mr. Grossman and oldie songs with Mr. Stroud showed us a multicultural one. Fast forward to high school. Many more joined us as we transitioned to Third Form. Our grade rose in size and strength. Mr. Kates’ history class taught us to laugh a little, while Mr. Trocano’s chemistry class inspired us to work and work hard. Dr. Gottlieb warned us not to be an expert in anything, and Mr. Keefe sparked our imagination with wonderful stories. We cherished our relationships with faculty and left a legacy of love at Haverford. The Class of 2018 steered the school through a tumultuous era. We addressed faults in our study body and emerged stronger. In yet other assemblies, we learned about everything from constitutional amendments with Eric Foner to astrophysics with David Sternberg. 2018 will be remembered as the year of Philadelphia. The Eagles won their first Super Bowl victory and the Sixers reached the Conference Semifinals. All of our hard work, time, energy, and love will propel us to success in the real world. Perhaps most importantly, our grade came together. During EA Spirit Week, we jumped onto stage, put our arms around each other, and rickrolled. As Rick Astley said in “Never Gonna Give You Up”, “We’ve known each other for so long” and we’re certainly going to miss each other. And the school is going to miss us too. But for now and forever, we are Haverford men.
Letter from new Student Body President Biagio DeSimone ’19 Dear Upper School Students, I would like to congratulate you all on completing another year at the Haverford School. While this year was a good one, I look forward to making progress in our year ahead. I have aspirations that all of you will laugh and face challenges both academically and athletically in 2018-2019. I hope that all of you will have a good summer break; however, I would like to issue a word of advice to each Form. To my rising Third Form: Get involved! Join as many extracurriculars that you can and ones that you enjoy. To my rising Fourth Form: Be cautious! The jump from Third Form is large and the challenge gets harder. To my rising Fifth Form: Do not fall behind on standardized testing! If you are able to begin preparations for either the SAT or ACT in the summer, I would highly recommend doing so. To my Sixth Form: Enjoy your summer, but be careful.
I look forward to the 2018-2019 academic year ahead of us. I hope we grow as a community and
form stronger bonds among us all. We will take back the sweater.
2018-2019 Student Body President Biagio DeSimone ’19.
Thank you, Fords. Have a great summer.
INDEX STAFF
The Index’s 2018-2019 Staff Nick Chimicles ’19, Neetish Sharma ’19, Editors-in-Chief Yan Graf, ’20 Managing Editor Toby Ma, ’20 Managing Editor Obaida Elamin ’20, Design Editor Matthew Schwartz ’21, News Editor Vincent Squazzo ’20, Features Editor Daniel Chow ’20, Assistant Features Editor Rob Esgro ’19, Opinions Editor Yeshwin Sankuratri ’20, Ass’t. Opinions Editor Matt Mignucci ’20, Politics Editor Jon Krouse ’20, Assistant Politics Editor
All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at index@haverford.org. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2018. Its surveys are conducted via Google Forms and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Graphic designs are created by Index staff via Canva. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members.
Tyler Zimmer ’21, Arts Editor Augie Aliaga ’21, Arts Editor Ryan LaRocca ’20, Sports Editor Nick Pippis ’19, Sports Editor
Ms. Alicia Evans, Faculty Advisor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor
The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change.
Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.havindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXX, No. 9 - June 7, 2018
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The Index - News
June 2018
accommodate the Haverford sports teams for another nine years before they are resurfaced again. Mr. Murphy is excited about the new field, “These will be great new surfaces for the athletes of The Haverford School, Mr. Murphy said.
“There will also be some aesthetics improvements in the look of the surfaces, but you will have to wait until September to see what those are!”
Crews descend to recondition Sabol Field EVAN BRABSON ’20 Sabol Field is the focal point of Haverford athletics on the campus. No matter the season, a Haverford sports team calls it their home. Everyone from Lower School gym students to Upper School athletes have spent time on the field. It is the home of the football team in the fall, the lacrosse team in the spring, and the track and field team all year round. According to Associate Athletic Director and football coach Mr. Michael Murphy, the turf and track material is at the end of its usable life. The field gets a lot of use, so it is past time for a renovation. “[The renovation] was based on the timeline of products. Each of the products was at the end of a life span, so for the safety of the athletes and the playability of the surfaces it was time to re-do them,” Mr. Murphy said. A renovation project started in mid-May, with the removal of the tree on Scoreboard Hill. A few days later, the field was closed to students and faculty as the turf was removed, and then the track a few days later. The project should take about four months, finishing around September 10th, according to Mr. Murphy. Due to the project, all early football games will be away. Home games will resume once the project is completed. Although the track and field will be resurfaced, they will not be enlarged. The track will still have its classic “fifth-turn” due to space limitations. The school will use this opportunity to improve drainage on the field, as water tends to pool on the track and in the field following heavy rain storms, reducing their usability.
Aside from the new drainage system, this is a regular maintenance project for the field. The field was first installed in 2000, and re-covered in 2009. This project is right on time with the nineyear period of use, and the new track and field will
Not all superheroes wear capes MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ’21 Some wear gloves instead. Because many Haverford students live comfortable lives, we don’t always think about those less fortunate than us. But we should always be on the lookout to help others. Unbeknownst to most Haverford students, a few athletes from our baseball team were made aware of another team in need, and decided to
take action. “My mom came to me to ask if I would be willing to take on the challenge [of helping the team],” said Fifth Former Calvin McCall. “I accepted because I really like to help people, especially when I can do it through the sport I love.” McCall and his teammates pulled together an assortment of baseball equipment for a nearby middle school that lacked some necessities heading into the season. “The text [to bring baseball equipment] was
sent on a Friday after one of our games, and by Saturday morning all the gear that I collected from my teammates was in my hands,” explained McCall. Coach Luke Stem of East Norriton Middle School was so moved by the gesture that he wrote the following letter, thanking the team for their act of kindness and calling them out for the rest of the school to recognize their charitable act.
They willingly gave up their own equipment out of the kindness of their own hearts and asked for absolutely nothing in return. The words “character” and “citizenship” are etched in stone on campus and in a number of school publications. The Haverford School Baseball Team has displayed those characteristics and has shown my team what it truly means to be a great citizen. -Coach Luke Stem, East Norriton Middle School The Haverford School,
Sean Clark ’19 and Calvin McCall ’19 on the field.
DR. MICHAEL NANCE
INDEX STAFF
Field reconditioning on June 3, 2018.
I wanted to reach out to you to inform you of an incredible act done by some of your student-athletes. They performed an act of kindness that is far and beyond anything I have experienced before from people their age. I am a Health & Physical Education Teacher and Baseball Coach at East Norriton Middle School located in the Norristown Area School District. We are a district operating on a tight budget. This causes us to have less equipment than we would like to have for practices and games during our baseball season. Last month a parent on our booster club reached out to a local company that makes and
sells baseball bats. We were hoping to get a bat or two donated, so our players could have a couple of team bats to use in practice and games. The person we communicated with, Debra McCall, was excited to help us out, and her company donated six bats to us in total. A number beyond what we could have ever expected or hoped for. However, it didn’t stop there. Debra told her son, Calvin McCall, about my team’s dilemma. Calvin then went to his team and asked them to join him in donating some of their old equipment to us. The team put together a bin of equipment that included 10 bats, 6 gloves, 6 helmets, cleats, catcher’s equipment and bat bags. They gathered all the equipment in under a week and happily donated everything to our team. I would like to thank Calvin and the members of The Haverford School Baseball Team for everything they have done for my team. These boys took the initiative to help a team in need under no guidance or supervision of any parents, coaches, or teachers. They willingly gave up their own equipment out of the kindness of their own hearts and asked for absolutely nothing in return. The words “character” and “citizenship” are etched in stone on campus and in a number of school publications. The Haverford School Baseball Team has displayed those characteristics and has shown my team what it truly means to be a great citizen. On behalf of our team and school, we would like to thank the parents and coaches of these young men for raising them to be exceptional people. We would like to thank The Haverford School for instilling in them the importance of having high character. Most importantly we would like to thank the players for being so willing to donate their own property help a team in need. We greatly appreciate the generosity and positive impact you had on our team. Thank you, Coach Luke Stem Head Baseball Coach East Norriton Middle School
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The Index - Features
June 2018
Mr. Green reminds us “how good it was once here” SAMUEL TURNER ’18 Great leaders have defined Philadelphia for the last decade. In 2008, David Montgomery chaired the Phillies to a World Series victory. Five years later, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts announced the construction of a new Comcast Technology Center. This past year, Doug Pederson coached the Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory, and veteran J.J. Redick along with rookie Ben Simmons led the Sixers to a memorable conference semifinals. All the while, from 2008 to 2018, Mr. Matthew Green has steered the Haverford Upper School with careful direction and great kindness. Throughout his nine years here, Mr. Green has cast a lasting influence on students and faculty alike. While serving as Upper School Head, Mr. Green has coached the Third Form Basketball, advised the Mock Trial team, and taught Utopian Literature, a Sixth Form English elective. Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer has witnessed Mr. Green’s tenure at Haverford and shared the office next to him. “It’s been an honor to be able to learn from him. He’s been a really important mentor for me. One of the most important aspects of his legacy here is his mentoring of faculty here and pushing them to grow personally and professionally,” said Mr. Fifer. Mr. Green is a man of virtue and principles. He guided the school during ethically challenging times. Through it, the school benefitted from the enduring strength of his values. Mr. Fifer said, “He has helped me to clarify my own values on education and has provided me needed perspective where there are challenges and you’re dealing with a particularly difficult situation. He has provided me with the perspective to move forward, move through that challenge.” Humor has also played an important role in Mr. Green’s presence and purpose. Past students remember his incessant quoting of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and current students thank him for the hilarious cultural reference to “Norm.” Mr. Green knows how to approach young men with comedy and sinceri-
Mr. Green in a familiar spot, wecolming students from the rounders.
ty. “Occupying the office next to Mr. Green has also been a fun time. Some of the things I will remember fondly of Mr. Green is that he will spontaneously break into song at random times, random showtunes and 70s/80s music. If there’s a show, Bye Bye Birdie or Guys and Dolls, he’ll be humming that song with frequency.” Humming showtunes and classics, Mr. Green often walks Wilson Hall, quizzing students on their weekend and inquiring about sporting events. His presence is undeniable. Sixth Former Will Yoh said, “When I first met Mr. Green, it
Mr. Green on Halloween 2013.
MS. DAWN BLAKE
was as a young quiet [Third Former], and I was a little intimidated since he was the Upper School Head. But as I got older I quickly realized what a nice and caring guy he is. He is truly invested in the well being of each individual student.” Yoh was also a student in Mr. Green’s Utopian Literature class. Before Mr. Green came to Haverford, he taught fifth grade English and mathematics. At his second school, he instructed tenth grade English and a series of electives. He has now been teaching English for 28 years and Utopian Lit for six. Mr. Green said, “The course itself is essentially a political philosophy course, designed to introduce students to the range of political thinkers about justice, how to set societies up, justice and ethics. We read Plato, Rawls, and a range of political thinkers.” In a way, Mr. Green has set up his own society in Wilson Hall and dealt with similar questions of justice and ethics. He practices the very political philosophy he teaches, especially in his annual opening remarks. Mr. Green said, “One of my favorite things to do is to write and deliver talks to the kids, an enormous labor of love for me. I would never be so bold as to compare that to giving birth. I love the opportunity to set the tone and pace for a place.” His opening remarks are certainly a labor of love. And love, he receives, often in the form of standing ovations and continued conversations. Delivering the opening remarks is one of his defining responsibilities, and it sometimes requires an entire of summer of thought. “I get in touch with what’s bugging me about the school, what needs to improved or people need to be thinking of,” said Mr. Green. “I set up a document and every time I think of an idea or see an article, TV program, I populate this doc [...] It’s like a threemonth job, it’s all I’m thinking about all summer.” Yoh chose the word “caring” to describe Mr. Green. Others may say thoughtful, heartfelt, or compassionate. Mr. Green has poured his heart and soul into the school, and he miraculously managed to give 100 percent in every aspect of school life. Sometimes even so much so that he didn’t have time to say hello. “My first impressions after two or three interactions [with Mr. Green] were that he was super intelligent and had really strong moral and ethical foundations,” Mr. Fifer said. “In some initial interactions, he was a little quirky. A quick and curt hello, a genuine hello, a hello that would indicate he was off somewhere else.” Mr. Green described himself as a “behindthe-scenes guy.” He was often juggling multiple responsibilities, all the while paying individual
INTEL CHEN ’19
attention to students. Yoh said, “Mr. Green was so on top of being the Upper School Head and transitioning to his new job, and I’m very grateful that he still managing to come to class every day with new and engaging lesson plans.” Mr. Green is adept at adapting. He has an eye for changing times and an impressive ability to enact change. He chartered the new Global Studies program in its early stages before passing the baton to Mr. Andrew Poolman. He also coordinated the implementation of the BYOD policy (bring your own device) in a technological era. He expanded health and wellness programming, including mindfulness, the human relationships seminar, and sexual education. Lastly, he facilitated the transition to a new schedule that aims to improve access to classmates and faculty time. “What I hope people remember about my time here is that there was a focus on emotional intelligence,” said Mr. Green. “I came here a little inclined that I needed to be a forceful masculine presence, but what I learned at Haverford is that there are many ways to be a good man, and more so, what the boys really wanted was for me to be me, to reveal all my eccentricities, passions, interests, and ethics in a way that is true to what I am.” Mr. Green has always been himself, and that means kindness and empathy. Mr. Fifer said, “If you think about the arc of Haverford, he’s been instrumental in making sure that this is a nurturing environment where relationships are the core of everything done here. He has made this community kinder, and that is the result of his own character and values which emphasize treating everyone in the community with the same amount of respect.” Next year, Green will be Headmaster at Falmouth Academy, an independent school in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Mr. Fifer said, “He’s leaving a huge hole here. But what makes me optimistic moving forward is that there will be so much of him left here, left in the people that he mentored. While he won’t be here, there will parts of Mr. Green sprinkled throughout the building in people next year and beyond.” The Haverford School will dearly miss Mr. Green, but he has left a noble legacy of emotional intelligence. “I’ve worked with so many incredibly accomplished young men. I really can’t wait to see what they do and where they go,” said Mr. Green. “My biggest hope is that they make a difference in the lives of other people, improve conditions, but also that they love themselves and are at peace, become kind and healthy functioning adults, fathers, husbands.”
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The Index - Features
June 2018
Mrs. Mitchell teaches calculus to the limit TOBY MA ’20
Mrs. Mitchell poses with the editorial team of Newton’s Notebook.
This June, Mrs. Susan Mitchell will be saying goodbye to the Haverford community. For four years, she served as Math Department Chair and taught Haverford students the beauty of mathematics. Many more have also tasted her delicious cookies and brownies as well as flipped through the pages of Newton’s Notebook, the math journal she helped create. “When I was packing my bags for college, I remember telling my parents that I was leaving my small town for the last time because I needed an adventure,” said Mrs. Mitchell. “From my perspective, I wanted to grow and needed a bigger pond.” Mrs. Mitchell has moved around the United States and lived in London twice. She will be returning to London after the end of this school year. In high school, Mrs. Mitchell was encour-
aged to major in math by her teacher. “I went to high school in a small rural community,” noted Mrs. Mitchell. “Even though I was earning high scores, my school was not preparing me as well as I thought.” When Mrs. Mitchell attended a Calculus class in college, she failed her first two tests. With two low grades, Mrs. Mitchell felt demoralized, saying, “I began to doubt my math ability and even explored changing majors. I didn’t really have the skills to self-advocate, and in a Calculus class with 80+ students and only a grad student to ask for help, I fell more and more behind as the course progressed.” In her second quarter, Mrs. Mitchell was forced to repeat the course, but this time she had help. Her teacher was “a really good associate professor” who “helped [her] to identify the gaps in [her]
INTEL CHEN ’19
preparation before college,” Mrs. Mitchell said. “I saw the teacher as the person who told me what to do and I went home and did it,” she said. “But this teacher invested in me and I stayed in mathematics because of him. As a result of this experience, I began to appreciate what an impact a teacher can have on a young person’s life, and I knew I wanted to do the same for others.” In her years of teaching, “seeing a student get excited about learning” thrills her the most. “Although I see [excitement] in the classroom, I enjoy watching the boys earn a win in Math Madness or publish an article in Newton’s Notebook. I like helping the boys achieve more than they thought they could,” said Mrs. Mitchell. One of Mrs. Mitchell’s favorite memories was when her son, David, played the piano in front of the Upper School at the talent show during EA
Spirit Week. “David came to Haverford as a Fifth Former, so naturally I was a little worried about his acclimation to this new environment. When he told me he had volunteered to play,” recalled Mrs. Mitchell, “I was nervous for him because his class was depending on him to score points! He ended up earning second place and a standing ovation from the junior class. The boy that won did the coolest light show I had ever seen, so no one minded coming in second to him!” “I will also take away fond memories of watching wonderful musical productions, the Notables, exciting water polo games, swim meets, and wins on EA Day,” reminisced Mrs. Mitchell. “Working with a boy in Calculus and then walking downstairs to see his self-portrait in the hallway. Receiving a photo or a vase from a student. This is a special place.” Despite having two sons of her own, in her years at Haverford Mrs. Mitchell has “learned a lot about working with boys in the classroom.” “I came to Haverford expecting the classroom environment to be different, but I did not expect the boys to be as relational, supportive, and willing to take risks as what I have seen here,” Mrs. Mitchell said. Mrs. Mitchell also has many compliments for her colleagues and coworkers at the school. “As an educator, I have learned so much from this talented faculty,” she said. “I have been working in education for more than 20 years, but I have never been in a school with such talented and dedicated faculty members.” Mrs. Mitchell and her family will be moving to London for her husband’s work. She doesn’t know where she will work yet, but she “will look for another teaching position after [her family is] settled.” “I feel very fortunate to have lived all over the U.S. and twice in London,” said Mrs. Mitchell. “I really value the different perspectives that I have gained through these experiences, but at the same time, I mourn the loss of the relationships. I will really miss the amazing faculty and the extraordinary boys at Haverford. I am really thankful to have had some great adventures, including my time at Haverford, but I suppose it is time for the next!”
Coach, servant leader, Mr. Brady leaves for Landon YESHWIN SANKURATRI ’20 Standing tall with broad shoulders and a contagious smile, he is always in the midst of leading, whether it be on the field or in the classroom. His aura ignites the hallways with a powerful presence. He is Mr. Bill Brady, a man who will leave a legacy, not only as one of the greatest coaches in Haverford School history, but also as a true Ford who led by exemplary character, honesty, and integrity. Hailing from the world of college sports, Mr. Brady was unsure what to expect when making his transition to a boys’ secondary school. He had “never been in a single-sex environment, and like many others on the outside of Haverford, [he] wondered, ‘Is it really like Lord of the Flies every day?” He learned “that when boys are provided with a safe environment, they surprise you all the time. The level of intimacy and openness that I witness is truly remarkable.” “Once you can establish that the culture needs to be right first, and that relationships are the most important thing, you are a team of winners and the W’s will come as a result of the environment,” Mr. Brady said. In seven years time, he navigated through what he called the “biggest challenge with coaching…managing expectations and shifting the focus away from just wins and losses.” After establishing his prowess on the soccer pitch, Mr. Brady took his leadership skills into the classroom. As the Director of Leadership, he championed a “servant leadership” approach foundation of which is based on the principle that “true leadership needs to come from someone who is passionate and committed to what they are leading.” Mr. Brady has provided passionate young men with different avenues to exercise their interests. He said that “the biggest thing I have learned about leadership is that it is only effective if it is genuine. At Haverford, that is why we take the approach of servant leadership. We stress the importance of serving first and then from that aspiring to lead.
“If the boys understand themselves and what is important to them, they can begin to understand how to use their strengths to impact their world for good.” Out of the many meaningful, lasting memories Mr. Brady will hold dear to him while moving on as the Director of Athletics at the Landon School, it was one of the soccer program’s many fireside chats that moved him. He recalled that moment when “Henry Crochiere, the night before EA Day, spoke to the team about his struggle dealing with not being an ‘elite’ athlete. He went on to say he often thought about quitting and focusing on other things. As he held back the tears, he turned to Dylan Henderson and said, ‘I want to thank you, because your friendship made me understand that this is not really about soccer.’” “Every member of the team got up and hugged Henry, and it allowed the other boys the latitude to be vulnerable and open up to each other in meaningful ways,” Mr. Brady said. In an instant he felt “that the importance… [he places] on building meaningful relationships mattered to the boys.” Mr. Brady hopes that “the boys in the soccer program have grown to appreciate and welcome intimate relationships and the value of truly investing in others.” “Those bonds that they form in the soccer program will continue with them throughout the rest of their lives as they are real,” said Mr. Brady. “In the classroom, I hope the boys gained a better understanding of who they are as individuals and how they can use that self-awareness to follow their interests and be the best versions of themselves.” Today, as Mr. Brady reflects, he feels that his “experience at Haverford was truly transformational for [him and his family]. “Leaving the college coaching world was a big leap of faith, but one that was truly rewarded time and time again through the past seven years,” he said. “Haverford embraced my family as a part of their community, has helped to mold my son into a wonderful boy, and has raised my expectations of what I think young men are capable of.”
Mr. Brady at halftime of the 2-2 tie with Conestoga game on September 22, 2017.
INTEL CHEN ’19
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The Index - Features
June 2018
Teaching through principle: an interview with Dr. Ron Duska VINCENT SCAUZZO ’20
Q: What led you here in 2006? A: I was a principal at St. Andrew’s School and
I knew it was time to go somewhere else. I knew I wanted a teaching job, so I was thinking about getting back into the classroom. Some time in December of 2005 there was an opening for Lower School Head here. I applied and was fortunate to get it.
Q: What is the best thing about this school? A: I love the mission of helping boys. I love the
community and the environment we create here. I think it’s incredible. I think the world is a tough place for boys right now, and I think anywhere you go in this school you are just facing highquality people who care their best about making boys successful. I love the mission of “Preparing Boys for Life.” I think the school does it very well, and you can see it in the community. I constantly hear about how Haverford boys are a little different than other kids. I think it’s the teachers and the school personnel and the kids who create an amazing place. I think it’s something we should all be proud of.
Q: Why do you think this place is special? A: The quality of the people who are here. Any-
where I walk, whether it’s in the dining hall, in the Upper, Middle, or Lower School, the different departments, the facilities, you are meeting people at the top of their game, people who are incredible to work with, and I think that creates an energy that you do not find in most places. So I think people push each other and help each other, but anywhere you go, there is somebody at the top of their game in their department.
Q: How have you changed since you have been here, or how has the school changed you? A: I loved learning what I could about working
with boys. I was lucky that the school helped me get my final degree of the doctorate, and I studied about single-gender schools versus co-ed schools. I think maybe what I’ve changed is the understanding of how it’s different from most schools that are co-ed. You can have schools that are all male and they can be awful places, but you can do it right if you know what the needs are of boys, and I think our school absolutely does that. I thought before at an all-boys school, I thought it was a dynamite place. It was where it first started teaching. It was
MS. DAWN BLAKE
Dr. Duska playing bass with The Haligoluks in 2013.
in inner-city New York, and so they were a different type of kid, but it was also a special kind of place and they understood boys just as well. Those kids thrived, and then I bumped into to co-ed settings and it was different. I’ve learned about the specialness an all boys school can be.
Q: What is the most memorable moment you have from your long career teaching here? A: I was very touched the other week having the
Philip Bishop Day picnic. They put a very nice farewell for me, so that was special. I’ll always remember that. Other than that, every day is great. There’s so many special moments that you have and usually it’s when kids discover something and you’re like, “he gets it now.” Those moments are as special.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I’m getting out of the principal business. I’m
looking into working with parents in schools, so consulting and coaching. I want to stay in the field of boys education or helping boys be successful, so I’m looking at building a practice of helping boys thrive and helping parents. I think it’s tough raising kids, so I’ll be consulting and then working with schools as well.
Q: What do you think of the new lower school head, Dr. Pam Greenblatt? A: I think she’s going to be dynamite for our
school. She understands how to take a program and build the learning in the program. I think she’s going to do some amazing work with the faculty on all areas. Her background is curriculum and planning. I think she’s going to be dynamite in terms of how we can keep what we were doing before. She understands it as well as anyone. We were trying to make boys better readers, better writers — she understands how to do that.
She’s going to be fabulous at leading the team and keeping the boys learning their best.”
Q: What do you value most about a Haverford student? A: Every kid brings a talent and it’s our job as
teachers to find what that talent is, what their strengths are, and help them just build on those strengths, and everyone has an area of weakness. It is helping them figure out what they can do to work on this area. I’m amazed when I see the kids now in high school who were in the Lower School. You guys have all grown and matured and developed in ways you can’t even see. It’s amazing to see when everyone’s on the same page about how to get kids to develop and grow into young men. That’s what I enjoy seeing the most, when you’re able to step back and look at some of the Upper School kids who have come through here, I’m impressed by what I see.
Farewell to Mr. Upton, cont. Lemmon said, “The beginning of the year I was trying to learn how to do the rotational throw in shot put [the one where you spin really fast and throw the shot put], and Mr. Upton agreed to teach me. He is the head throwing coach at Haverford College, so I met him by the throwing area there.”
“After about 30 minutes of me throwing the shot and him probably about to lose his mind, saying the same thing over and over again to me, it was clear I was only going to pick up bad habits for learning the spin at this point,” Lemmon said. “He pulled out his keys and opened the track shed. He pulled out the hammer and discus and,
for what must have been another 45 minutes, taught me the basics to throwing both of these events.” “[Mr. Upton] is just the type of person to willingly help anyone whenever they need it,” Lemmon said. “He pretends that he doesn’t want to, but deep down you know he’s happy to help.”
Mr. Upton is most proud of the professional growth of the math department and the improvement of graduation projects, although he says there is still more work to be done in that regard.
Students learn about cryptocurrency ROBERT ESGRO ’19 In recent months, cryptocurrencies’ fluctuating values have taken the center stage in the U.S. economy. Finance teacher Mr. Brian Long, who wanted to foster awareness of the topic, grew interested in the prestigious Monetary and Trade Conference at LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. The 2018 topic? “Cryptocurrencies in the Global Economy.” Chaired by Dr. George Tsetsekos P ’20, Dean Emeritus and Francis Professor of Finance at LeBow, the conference would provide those in attendance a lens through which to understand the future of cryptocurrencies in the global economy. “We thought it would be a great idea for students at Haverford to get engaged in and participate in some capacity,” Mr. Long said. Long and Tsetsekos decided that the best way to measure the candidates to attend the conference was through an essay competition on the topic: “Is there a future for cryptocurrencies?” Essays needed to demonstrate a strong understanding of the concept of cryptocurrencies as well as a clear comprehension of possible futures concerning cryptocurrencies. “Cryptocurrency is something that’s really difficult to wrap your head
around,” Mr. Long said, “because it’s something that’s really disruptive to modern economies and marketplaces.” Despite the nature of the topic, Long was very encouraged by the responses he received. “I thought it was exciting that students were interested and going into enough depth to show that they had done a lot of research to understand how cryptocurrencies function and how they can change the landscape of the future economy,” Mr. Long said. My essay described the future of cryptocurrencies with a focus on regulations and obstacles that cryptocurrencies needed to face in order to become viable. These obstacles would prevent cryptocurrencies from passing crucial checkpoints in order to become a meaningful method of trade. Instead, cryptocurrencies would remain in their current position, a novelty, for years to come. However, Fourth Former Chris Tsetsekos argued that cryptocurrencies are the future. He believes with the ease of transaction, the security of the data, and the elimination of the need for an intermediary, cryptocurrencies will make a great candidate for our future currency. The conference was intended to provide an
introduction to what cryptocurrencies were, who uses them, and the benefits and drawbacks of investing in them. The most well known cryptocurrency was none other than Bitcoin. Bitcoin was invented in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto authored a paper entitled “Bitcoin: A Peerto-Peer Electronic Cash System.” Mr. Nakamoto’s paper describes the purpose and benefits of cryptocurrencies as well as the means of incorporating them into the economy. In this paper, Nakamoto argued that decentralized digital currencies, which he referred to as “purely peer-to-peer versions of electronic cash,” would be extremely beneficial because they would “allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.” Nakamoto’s prediction panned out, and the invention of Bitcoin solved a major problem surrounding the previous means of exchanging money via the internet: exorbitant third party, or “middleman,” processing fees. When a consumer uses an online money transferring programs such as PayPal, Venmo, Google Wallet, or other similar services, transactions are quick and easy. With the simple click or press of a button, large or small sums of money can be
BITCOINXIO VIA WIKIMEDIA
exchanged from person to person within minutes. While it is true that these transactions are convenient, they do not come cheap. Take PayPal as an example: although there is no fee for sending money, PayPal charges a 2.9% fee plus $0.30 per transaction commission on the party receiving the money. If a person makes ten sales in a month, each time charging $50, he will pay almost $18 to PayPal in transaction fees. This is not the end of the fees, however. PayPal will take money from credit accounts, which require fees by themselves. If a person accepts Visa for payment, he is required to pay 1.51% plus $0.10 for every transaction. Considering the same situation described previously, this person will have to pay an additional $8 to his credit card company. Credit card companies draw money from the bank, which requires its own fees. The monthly maintenance fee for a premium checking account at TD Bank is $25 per month. As shown with the current system of transactions, a person might make $500 in sales in a month but only be able to keep about $450, or 90%, of what he earns. cont. pg. 17
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Ms. Epstein leaves Spanish and sexual education legacy NEETISH SHARMA ’19 Throughout Ms. Carmen Epstein’s career at Haverford, she has served as an invaluable mentor and a trustworthy colleague. In 2000, Ms. Epstein enrolled into Rutgers University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Dance. She then moved to New York to teach. Teaching all grades from kindergarten up until eighth grade, the one demographic she never taught was high school students. Moving to Philadelphia to be with her now husband, she came to Haverford as a Spanish teacher, growing into an essential role in the language department. Ms. Epstein’s approach to teaching successfully engaged students. Ms. Epstein’s organic approach to Spanish has allowed her to teach multiple levels. Her new experience with being at an all-boys school was intimidating at first. “Before, I understood the benefit of single-sex education for girls, but never really boys,” Ms. Epstein said. “Working here, however, definitely made me realize how important it is and the many different benefits for boys.” “I was pretty intimidated to not only be teaching much older people but also all boys. It was pretty intimidating to be the only female in the room of somewhat grown gentlemen. That was a challenge, but it was also really rewarding to get to know my students on a personal level. I just learned to really appreciate my boys as individuals. I think my strength as a teacher was my relationship with students. I learned here how to really connect with students,” Ms. Epstein said. Although Ms. Epstein was a talented Spanish teacher, she found an outlet through the school’s sexual education program. After noticing the school’s rather narrow approach to sexual education, she decided to make it her mission to broaden this scope. Soon enough, she decided to pursue sexual education as a masters’ degree: “I never re-
alized I would be drawn to academics again later in my life through my pursuing of a masters’ degree in sex education. It was awesome to be able to be studying and teaching at the same time. My students were like my own lab I could try my lessons on to see how they go. That was really cool. I really appreciate what Haverford did for me in terms of my sex education. I never would have been able to get that masters’ degree without the support of Haverford,” Ms. Epstein said. Throughout her experience, some traditions of Haverford will remain with her for life. Coming from teaching younger children in New York, the quirky customs of Haverford seemed strange to her at first but later began to resonate.
“My hope is to come back to Haverford and teach those sexed classes that I’ve already started as well as expand on them a little bit. Also, I want to do more of that in other places closer to where I live in Lancaster. I did the human relationship course with Baldwin and Agnes Irwin, and I still have contact with those people.” -Ms. Carmen Epstein “When I came here, one thing I never understood was EA Week. It just didn’t make sense to me, and it was hilarious. However, I started to realize how much this rivalry means to my boys, and now I’m one of the most active participants in our traditions. I participate every year in the dodgeball tournament, even though I’m terrible at dodgeball. I always get out first or second, but
INDEX STAFF
Ms. Epstein talking with a student outside Centennial Hall.
these traditions are definitely something I’ll miss.” Ms. Epstein fostered a learning environment where every student felt included, making her students feel excited to go to class. Ms. Epstein brings this same work ethic to the office and other out-of-class obligations, such as her human relationships course. Transforming our school’s sexual education program, Epstein has formed countless personal connections with her students. After leaving full-time teaching here next year, Ms. Epstein still hopes to teach part-time sexual education at Haverford—her true passion. “My hope is to come back to Haverford and
teach those sex-ed classes that I’ve already started as well as expand on them a little bit. Also, I want to do more of that in other places closer to where I live in Lancaster. I did the human relationship course with Baldwin and Agnes Irwin, and I still have contact with those people. I also recently did a parents’ program talking about sex education and how it was different than what we normally grew up with as well as how to talk to your own kids about sex. I think that work is really important, so I would like to do that more in other places too. I think a lot of places outside of schools could use that.”
Renaissance man Mr. Arthmire moves on to next experiment ROBERT ESGRO ’19 A “Renaissance man” is a man who is knowledgeable and proficient in a wide variety of fields. At Haverford, few embody this principle better than chemistry teacher and varsity ice hockey coach Mr. Peter Arthmire. A six-year tenure at Haverford has cemented him as a superb educator at one of the most rigorous private schools in the state, but Mr. Arthmire has also worked as a public school physics teacher, a salesman, and a military-contracted firefighter in Iraq during the Iraq War. But he wanted to teach. “I love to help people,” Mr. Arthmire said. “I love seeing the eureka moment on a kid’s face when he grasps a concept.” Mr. Arthmire was hired by the science department to teach chemistry to Fourth Formers, and when he arrived, he was blown away by the school: “I was very impressed. I’m still very impressed. Just with the freedoms, the students
have, interesting teaching styles, and the empathy between teachers and students is very touching.” Still, switching from public school to teaching at Haverford was difficult. “This was the first time I’ve taught in an allboys school,” said Mr. Arthmire, “and there’s definitely a different dynamic that teachers need to get used to over time. I passed this hurdle by simply asking students how I could do better.” Mr. Arthmire’s guiding motto was the “two ears/one mouth ratio.” He showed students how important it was to listen. One student recalled how in 2016 after President Trump won the presidency, Mr. Arthmire told his class to feel whatever emotions they wanted but not to let those personal feelings get in the way of listening to how other people felt. The student said Mr. Arthmire helped shape him from a person who “was always arguing over ridiculous and simple things” to “a more listening and re-
spectful gentleman.” Mr. Arthmire’s virtue and relaxed nature had a meaningful impact on many of his students. One such student was Fifth Former George Rengepes, who took Mr. Arthmire’s chemistry class as a Fourth Former. “I liked him mainly because of his way to incorporate his personal life into every class session. He was able to educate me in not only chemistry but also life lessons. He was more than just a chemistry teacher, he was like a dad to just about everyone. Telling them when they are acting stupid to keep them in check. But he also always helped kids when they needed to further their understanding of a concept,” Rengepes said. “He also was always ready for a conversation of just about anything, from hockey to Iraq, to chemistry; the man could talk about anything at any time, which was why I enjoyed having him as a teacher.”
Mr. Arthmire recently gave a Reflections presentation in front of the Upper School community.
Mr. Arthmire’s door was always open, and he invited students to come talk to him if they needed anything. Fifth Former Christian Sarian said that Arthmire was one of the most caring teachers he has had at Haverford. “I think that his personality stood out the most to me, as he was always eager and helpful to his students,” said Sarian. “Mr. Arthmire was different from others because he always seemed to care about his students, and that made him more approachable to talk to.” Sarian added that Mr. Arthmire “definitely increased my motivation to learn about chemistry by making the class enjoyable through certain activities and labs we would do besides writing down notes.” Mr. Arthmire will teach at a small public high school in New Jersey of about 350 students. There, he will be responsible for all sections of physics and chemistry classes.
INTEL CHEN ’19
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Mrs. Thomas leaves big shelves to fill in lower school library TYLER ZIMMER ’21
While her second home is located on the second floor of the Lower School building over the Class of ’75 field, you will find Mrs. Nancy Thomas anywhere from wandering halls, making new friends, or even attending the plays and concerts as she cheers her boys on and recalls their time together. Twenty-nine years prior, Villanova graduate Mrs. Thomas began her time here with a substitute-teaching job. “I never intended to stay for twenty-nine years,” Mrs. Thomas said. “Why did I stay for so long? Because I loved it—the boys and the teachers that I worked with. I just loved the excitement of it all. How can you quit something that you love?” Mrs. Thomas did not just stay at Haverford for so many years but made an impact on the daily lives of her students, making them excited to return the next day, especially to read. Mrs. Thomas describes herself as “a book person.” When she isn’t busy reflecting her passions onto Haverford’s pre-K through fifth grade students, she’s most likely reading all the books she can, preparing for the next class that eagerly enters her doors with open ears. When asked about teaching younger kids, she delved into her experiences. “You see a young child struggling to grasp the concepts, and, suddenly, he just gets it,” Mrs. Thomas said. “He understands the book, and shouts aloud, ‘this is so awesome!’ That’s what I love about younger students.” Mrs. Thomas’s experience allowed her to interact with all ages of readers, however, and she jokingly added that “[Lower School students] are just more respectful.” Students of all levels in the Haverford
community smiled when recalling their positive experiences with Mrs. Thomas. Third Form Lifer Quintin Campbell said, “She taught us how valuable reading is in a fun and hands-on way.” Mrs. Thomas let her students meander the library, navigating their way from one aisle to another. Joseph White ’21 said he “loved the way she animated each of the characters by changing her voice. Today, I look back and realize that she made me feel special by saying hello and asking how I was. That familiar voice and gesture meant a lot to me, during good and bad days.” Many of Mrs. Thomas’s students reflect on their experience with highly positive outlooks. Her current students feel the same way. Watching the young students jump out of their spots in line to enter her classroom, one could simply tell how much they all enjoyed Mrs. Thomas and her library. Not only did Mrs. Thomas affect her students of all ages, but the faculty enjoyed spending time with her as well. Mrs. Frances Wright of the Lower School faculty voiced that Mrs. Thomas was a “sweet, kind, and lovable person who loved her job.” She also commented that it was her doings that allowed the young boys to love reading and libraries. The library is her stomping ground. From the book selections and organization to the new design of the library, Mrs. Thomas was the impetus behind all of it. Her passion and vision for positive changes throughout Haverford’s reading curriculum pushed forward the organization of library and reading classes, along with the redesign of the library. The new library provides a more welcoming
experience with fluorescent colors, papier maché plants and trees, and thousands of books, organized by genre and reading level. None of these changes would have been prompted or completed for the young students if not for the drive and motivation that Mrs. Thomas provided. Mrs. Thomas has made a lasting impact on all who passed through her doors. She has bonded and challenged many students who graduate this year, and her favorite experience in the Haverford community “has to be the gauntlet at graduation because get to see kids, both that I have staying in touch with, and also those who I haven’t seen. Hearing their words and comments that they make provides me reassurance that I made an impact on their lives,” Mrs. Thomas said. Many of the Sixth Form graduating class were affected by the dedication she has made in the attempts to turn callow Lower Schoolers into scholarly, respectful young men. Mrs. Thomas will continue her love for reading, the outdoors, and the Steelers when she visits her hometown in Pittsburgh. She desires to even volunteer working with animals in her spare time at a nature reserve in Utah. She hopes the Haverford community “will continue to promote the reading and literature that [she has] done and make this place one that the kids love. I hope that [the students] realize that this is a good place to be, so love it. Embrace it.” When Mrs. Thomas sat down with departing Lower School Head Dr. Duska, they both knew that their paths would be leading them into separate ways, but they agreed, in Mrs. Thomas’s words, that “this is our legacy,
INDEX STAFF
Ms. Nancy Thomas poses with Simon Dombar ’25.
WILL HENDERSON ’18
In October, The Index published several articles titled, “Note To Self,” based on the award-winning segment from CBS This Morning. With the likes of Vice President Joe Biden, Oprah Winfrey, Art Garfunkel, and President Jimmy Carter having written letters to their younger selves, their advice is ironically simple: “Listen to Mom,” “Success is a process,” and “Keep the faith.” Instead, our students wrote letters to themselves when they were just starting school at Haverford. “You will soon realize how much Haverford has changed you.” “Not too long into the future, your brothers will go their separate ways, but the love will remain.” “Haverford will become your home.” Their words are powerful. In my last article for The Index, I wanted to reflect on thirteen years of my life. Dear Will,
MS. DAWN BLAKE
Will Henderson ’18 on his first day of kindergartern.
You are walking into a brand-new building — for you and everyone else. The painters are still walking through the hallways, and you are just starting to settle in as well. Soon, a senior will walk you into a large gymnasium. You won’t understand the significance of this moment now, but when it’s your turn to walk a kindergartener to his first day of classes, you will realize what it truly represents: new beginnings. In your beginning, all you want to do is go
home, but before you know it, you will never want to leave. Haverford will be home for you, and this sense of familiarity will enrich your experience even more. Make sure to enjoy all of your experiences in the moment. Be present — both physically, and more importantly, mentally. In a couple years, you will remember begging Mrs. Ertel for candy with your friends or playing kickball during art class. You will wish you could relive those times. As years pass and academics become more serious, you will encounter failures and try to forget them immediately. Realize that failure, however, is much easier to learn from than success. Still, remind yourself to relax. Some of your fondest (and funniest) memories will soon be forged: Mr. Strong’s class, Mrs. Quinn’s surprise party, and the Conrad Weiser trip. Hang on to these times — in the years to come, you and your friends will frequently take yourselves back to these moments as you sit around bonfires and eat lunch in the cafeteria, on car rides, and in a thousand other places. You will continue to take some aspects of Haverford for granted: the brotherhood, the desire to better others, and the teachers that develop you into a man of character. But as you arrive in Upper School, you will start to appreciate all of these things, and after you hear Mr. Green read Dostoevsky’s quotation at the end of Form III, self-reflection and the
idea of “being present” will continue to impact your life. Speaking of Upper School, you will encounter some of the most stressful, remarkable years of your life. There will be ups and downs, moments of extreme joy and great sadness, and feelings of accomplishment and failure, but your friends, mentors, and family will be there through it all. As you move closer to graduation — which happens much, much sooner than you may realize now — you will almost constantly reflect on your time at Haverford. You will have had the same friends for thirteen years. You will have driven the same route to and from school thousands of times. You will have had an experience that, for the rest of your life, you may never again have. And you will frequently remind yourself of the people who helped you get to this point. Embrace them. Write thank you notes. Know that those relationships will last forever. Andy Bernard’s quotation from The Office will constantly play through your head: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the ‘good old days’ before you’ve actually left them.” Enjoy the next thirteen years because only when you walk across the stage at graduation — almost five thousand days later — will you realize how quickly it all happened. Sincerely, Yourself
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the accused individual, but from the dent he has created in the school. A dent in the trust to which students and faculty members hold themselves. Sitting there, in the center, intimidation hovers over the accused student.
Tensions rise. Each jury member knows as a student how much weight this decision holds. It can and will besmirch the accused student’s reputation both in school and college. However, some students feel otherwise. “I never felt anxious because I’ve been at Haverford for so long the concept of peer judgement with the Honor Council is something I’m accustomed to. Additionally, it helped that I really had no connection to the student on trial whatsoever. I felt that I was just doing a job: nothing more,” said former jury member Grant Sterman. “All in favor of a suspension?” One student raises his hand. “All against?” Twelve students raise their hands. It does not pass. “All in favor of two regular detentions and one Saturday detention?” Seven students raise their hands. The punishment passes. Turner declares, “It passes. He will serve two regular detentions and one Saturday detention.” Following the trial, everyone simultaneously returns to their daily tasks — the emotional student to his class, the jury members to their classes. The time, 10:30 a.m. A tall figure stands outside the physics classroom, Turner’s C Block class. Laptop in hand, Mr. Fifer pulls him from class. “OOOOO, he’s in trouble,” yells a student from the back of the room. Everyone in the room knows why Turner is excused from class. They begin to question the severity of the punishment. The trial lasting three hours, rumors from younger Forms spreading, students begin to come to conclusions. Turner states, “I discuss what measures the Honor Council has come up with Mr. Fifer and Mr. Green. I justify the severity of the punishment and the rehabilitative measures, and minor modifications may be made. At that point, we then present the results to the accused student, and that pretty much concludes the Honor Process.”
“Almost twenty people are taking hours out of their day to help a student build and maintain strong character. The weight of that can be inherently intimidating.” -Samuel Turner ’18
HARRISON FELLHEIMER ’18
Editor’s note: The following article contains an amalgam of recent Honor Council cases. The time, 7:30 a.m. The morning’s thick fog drapes over a group of students as they pile into the marbled walls of the gymnasium’s third-floor hallway. The only sound, a static hum. Eagerly sitting on the chilled floors, everyone’s head lifts as the double doors open from the dimmed stairwell. Three figures emerge... William Brady, Amanda Vos Strache, and Jeremy Hart — the faculty advisors of the Honor Council. As the key turns and the hinges unfold, everyone gathers in the room where an assortment of breakfast foods and drinks awaits their churning stomachs. Muffins and bagels in hand, students write their names in red ink on the dry-erase board in the order they arrived, followed by their Form. Everyone takes their seats. A single-sided piece of white printer paper states: “Any information involving this hearing must remain confidential. If you are found disclosing any information, the result will be a hearing of your own... In order to maintain the integrity of the Honor Code, all members of the jury must be completely unbiased of the person in question, accuser, teacher, advocate, and witnesses.” The line precedes a blank line, a line that embodies the core traits of a true Haverford School gentleman. The Honor Council, and the Code which they enforce, holds each student responsible to the highest standards of integrity and honesty; to be the best men that they can. While the school is idyllic in its sense of brotherhood, students truly feel that “I’m my brother’s keeper, as he is mine.” Honor Council Chairman Samuel Turner
’18 says, “The Honor Code is a reminder of who Haverford men are and how to embody those standards...When students walk into the Upper School, we want them to see in large print an ideal: an Honor Code that we can all strive to embody.” As the jurors sign the confidentiality form, the accused student sits in a glass room overhanging the McBride basketball court. This room, adjacent to where the trial will take place, is anything but private. Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer and Turner list off the accused student’s rights: the right to make a statement, have others make statements on his behalf, and to have a faculty advisor. Everyone grows silent... Mr. Fifer enters into the center of the room. All heads turn. “Mr. Fifer, please tell us in your mind what happened,” asks Turner. Mr. Fifer proceeds to list and explain the facts of the case. Members of the jury reach for their blue and black pens from the left inside pocket of their pinned-striped, navy blue, and Stafford linen suit coats... It was as if the words from Mr. Fifer’s mouth fall directly on each juror’s paper. “It allows me to focus in on what they are actually saying and keep record of who said what and things that stand out. Additionally, it is what people look back on for deliberation and help determine the punishment,” says Mr. Hart. After the opening remarks, Mr. Fifer leaves the room and in comes the accused student. His peers surround him. A look of awe fills the room. Though everyone has signed the unbiased form, there is no way around the preconceived notions and reputation the student has earned since his arrival to Haverford. The bias and shock does not radiate from
As the jurors rush to finish recording the last pieces of information from Mr. Fifer’s speech, Turner asks the student, “Please tell us in your mind what happened.” The student scrambles to put together words. He angles his foot on the checkered floor in order to bounce his leg. His trembling hand picks at the cuff of his white shirt. “The hearing can be an intimidating place because we don’t want students to violate the Code again. Almost twenty people are taking hours out of their day to help a student build and maintain strong character. The weight of that can be inherently intimidating,” says Turner. “I think it can be an intimidating place for students to be tried in front of their peers,” Mr. Fifer adds. “Anytime a student is in a situation where his behavior is being questioned and they might not have necessarily thought through their actions can be frightening.” The accused student takes more questions from the jury. As more and more questions are heaved at the disheveled student, the more contradictory his argument gets. His watery lips slip and simple questioning turns into an interrogation. “I’m sorry,” the accused student mumbles. A brief second of assurance permeates throughout the room and the student exits.
The Honor Council book that students sign as a commitment to the Code.
Each member of the jury individually glances at their detailed notes, carefully listening as Turner lists off the punishments in decreasing order of severity.
New Honor Council member Colby Kim ’20 delivering his candidacy speech to the Third Form.
ED KING ’18
But the effects continue on far after the closing of the trial. Not only do they carry into the rest of the students’ academic careers, but through the remainder of their lives.
HARRISON FELLHEIMER ’18
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June 2018
He worked in the most volatile regions of Afghanistan, leading a 120-man task force responsible for all direct action and counter-terrorism operations in the capital city of Kabul. While attending sniper school in 2006, Sean met Alicia, the woman he would marry two years later. He began to balance a family life along with his special operations work in the military. “I had done six deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan when my first son, Mason, was born. In a typical year, I would be away for about 250 days. I didn’t get a chance to see him grow up. That frustrated me.” Sean missed Mason’s first birthday. He was not able to call home because he was on a mission. He sent an email a few days in advance. With a family at home, and three years left to decide if he would re-enlist, Sean made the decision to enter a distance learning program at Norwich University. He did his classes while on deployments. “I got up at 4 in the morning and did full-time college while also being a full-time SEAL. It was busy; it was chaotic; it was one of the reasons why it was so hard to transition out of the military.” Throughout his fourteen years in the Navy, he was taught to shoot and kill and parachute and navigate. He was never taught how to leave. But Sean knew that he needed to have options for the future. At home, Alicia was now raising Connor— their second son. “It was extremely difficult to be in a relationship with children while he was away. It would feel lonely. Even when he was physically home it was hard for him to be present,” she says. Sean missed Connor’s first birthday, too. He decided not to reenlist. He was done. “It was time for a new mission,” Sean says. “I wanted to go to business school. I wanted to go and try something that was completely different. My strategy was to go to business school and get my MBA and utilize that time to get new relevant skill sets.” Sean had never interviewed for a job before, and he did not have a resume. It was unchartered territory. He had to find a new way to provide for his family. “I could live on the floor and eat ramen noodles if I needed to, but I had a family to look after. There was a lot of stress trying to chart that new course while getting used to giving up the military,” Sean says. The transition was not only difficult for Sean, but also for his family. His career in the military came with a steady paycheck, aside from the two
times the government shut down while he was deployed. Alicia says, “I was scared when he came home. This was all we knew as a couple and a family. He wanted to go to school and get a job, but I was thinking what if it doesn’t happen that way. It was a lot of what-ifs as a wife and a mother. You know he had to make this work. It had to happen.” His first years out were hardly a step down from the military. He would wake up at 5 a.m. every morning to complete school work, before taking the train from his suburban home into Philadelphia, where he attended The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Playing with his kids became an important part of Sean’s daily routine. Leaving his military career behind was not easy for Sean. He emphasizes that every veteran leaves the military with scars. Whether it’s PTSD or broken bones or back issues, everyone leaves with baggage. “There were a host of physical injuries that I left with. I have had reconstructive surgery on both my shoulders. I lost a lot of friends. That takes a toll. The experience hardens you and desensitizes you emotionally. There was a lot of damage done over those fourteen years.” The SEAL teams demanded a lot from Sean, but he took pride in his work and departing left a void in his daily life. As a result, Sean tries to engage in physical challenges that continue to push his limits. On June 6th, 2018, the 74th anniversary of D-Day, he will participate in the Epic Charity Challenge to support the National Navy SEAL Museum. Over sixteen hours, he will swim 6.2 miles through the English Channel, scale the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, and march 25 miles with 45 pounds of military gear. He will retrace the exact route soldiers who landed at Normandy made during their D-Day invasion. These types of challenges help Sean to support charitable efforts and cope with the void that leaving the military left in his life. That sense of service was instilled in him while serving. Life has calmed down considerably for Sean. He lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and three kids. He still wakes up at 4 or 5 every morning to exercise. Then he helps his kids get ready for school before going to work. He is frequently asked if he misses being a SEAL. “I miss parts of it,” he says. “The biggest thing that I miss is the people that I used to work with. They are amazing individuals.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN FREITAG
Sean Freitag grew up on the outskirts of the Allegheny National Forest in Warren, Pennsylvania. It is prototypical small-town USA, marked by a Walmart Supercenter and the United Refining Company oil refinery. He came from a military family. His father, three uncles, and a cousin all served. After his senior year at Warren Area High School, Sean decided to join the military. At 18 years old, while his friends and former classmates went to college, he left to enlist in the United States Navy with the intent of becoming a SEAL. He followed a normal progression, attending Navy boot camp for seven weeks in Great Lakes, Chicago and SEAL training for six months in Coronado, California. The six months were broken into three phases: physical conditioning, combat diving, and land warfare. He broke his femur during the Hell Week portion of the first phase. Sean was assigned to SEAL Team Four in Little Creek, Virginia, after successfully completing
training. He served as the team’s sniper and lead navigator; he completed two deployments to Iraq before being screened for The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as SEAL Team Six.
“I got up at 4 in the morning and did full-time college while also being a full-time SEAL. It was busy; it was chaotic; it was one of the reasons why it was so hard to transition out of the military.” -Sean Freitag With this appointment, Sean operated as an assaulter on one of the most elite military forces in the world from 2007 to 2013.
Sean Freitag working at his desk.
MR.ANTHONY MERHIGE
Page 11 Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. An older couple shared a cigarette on their front porch and a boy walked his white schnauzer down the sidewalk. To the unfamiliar visitor, Park Lane is just another street in Aston, Pennsylvania. The car stopped abruptly at a “single story” home with a ramshackle basketball net angled crookedly at the base of the front yard. After maneuvering between two landscaping trucks and a dumpster parked in the driveway, a backyard comes into view with a garage located at the epicenter like a kiosk in a shopping mall. A smattering of loose stone and a nonfunctioning golf cart partially block the path to the “half lifted” garage door. The backyard is no different than the neighboring homes. Not a larger space. Not greener grass. But to many teens in Aston, this backyard is a safe space from the perils of a difficult home life. Welcome to B.J. Barlow’s House of Iron. Within the confines of the garage door, magic happens. Dim, linear lights hang from an unfinished wooden ceiling that also holds a black punching bag and a thick climbing rope. Disconnected black mats lay on top of the cement foundation. A vacant bench press waits locked and loaded with forty-five pound plates perched on both ends of the bar. A squat rack, a leg press, and a dumbbell shelf, with weights numerically organized from ten up to ninety pounds, lie adjacent to the bench press. Knick knacks, old radios, and a tool bench surround lifters. A red flag with a rat-dog staring back at you hangs from the back ceiling. Frequent visitors of the House of Iron turned this flag into a Snapchat phenomena, posting a picture of the flag to their Snapchat stories to invite others to lift at Barlow’s, causing teens to often flock in groups of three to four guys. This weight room is by no means a pretty, organized place, but that is symbolic of the town’s “hard hat and lunch pail” ambiance — and its owner, B.J. Barlow. Barlow, a laid back, strong statured, sanitation truck driver in his late thirties, originally did not plan to use the space as a weight room. In fact, Barlow says his motivation for building the garage was rooted in his experience as a teenager.“I felt like growing up, there was nowhere to go. Being a teenager especially, no one wants you around... Nobody.” To combat this, Barlow envisioned a game room where his kids and their friends could have a place to hang out. The purpose of the space changed during the garage’s early stages once Barlow’s friend invited him to a gym equipment auction. Barlow asked him, “What the hell am I gonna do with all that [gym equipment]?” After reluctantly attending, Barlow laughs, “Well, I ended up spending upwards of $1200 — I bought so much shit!” The equipment sat in his unfinished garage for what Barlow recalls as three to six months until
The Index - Features
June 2018
gym on a daily basis, would agree, “Barlow is a guy that is selfless in his contribution to others’ well being. Whenever you’re having a problem with something, even outside of wrestling, he will always help you out. No matter big or small. Public or private.” To some, giving back to the community is an effort that is seen as charitable. But for Barlow, it is simply his charismatic nature and ability to listen that lets kids confide in him for help. “Some of these kids tell me more shit than I even want to know,” Barlow says. “Like I don’t know if I can help with this one, man. But hell, I’ll try.” People often tell him what he is doing is special for the community, but he always responds with the same answer. “I don’t think I am doing anything special, I just think this is what everybody should do. If everybody was a decent person who helped out others when you can, you know, the world would be a much better place.” Aston is full of people that want to give. Everyone knows each other, and that is something Bar-
low loves about living there. This has driven him to coach youth baseball and wrestling at nearby Sun Valley High School. “The kids here grow up in that ‘blue collar’ mentality. An attitude that never quits. We always say about kids in our town that they would run through a brick wall if us coaches asked them to.” Barlow’s influence is not limited to the kids he coaches either.“The first time I met Barlow he made me laugh,” Aston resident Ed Penza said. “In fact, every time I see him he makes me laugh. Barlow is a great person who brings Aston together just by providing that place to meet others in the community while building healthy habits.” Many sneakers have left their footprints on the garage since Barlow and his cousin in rehab lifted in silence. But the atmosphere of the room is still rooted in family and hard work… two qualities that are learned quickly in a town like Aston. B.J. Barlow preaches community. And the House of Iron is his chapel.
an unfortunate disaster struck a family member. His cousin relapsed back into drug use. After returning from rehab, his cousin needed a place to live and work. At this point, Barlow juggled a landscaping business and job with the township. The combination became too laborious to do alone, cutting roughly 50 yards per week, so he championed his cousin’s rehabilitation process, permitting him to quarter in his basement and cut lawns for his landscaping company. His cousin turned to exercise as an escape from his unhealthy past, and one afternoon B.J. decided to join him. Two cousins in an unfinished garage weight room: a safe space for family to share healthy habits and support each other. Over time, the amount of visitors grew in number, but the tradition has not changed. “I was working for the township at the time,” B.J. recalled, “and there was a lot of kids, 17 or 18 years old, that were looking for a place to work out and they wanted to go to Planet Fitness or the YMCA. But all of this costs money. And most kids, especially in a ‘blue collar’ town don’t have money.” He invited the teens he worked with to lift at his garage.
“Barlow is a guy that is selfless in his contribution to others’ well being. Whenever you’re having a problem with something, even outside of wrestling, he will always help you out.’ -Barry Boyle At first there was a key, but quickly an influx of visitors proved that the key was unnecessary. “There were kids from all over the place coming, and they always knew me. Actually, what’s funny is they didn’t all know me. But at least they knew someone lifting here that I could trust.” Many people come to the gym in spurts, but it is a guarantee that the House of Iron will be full on every holiday, when every other gym locks their doors. “It’s cool. It’s fun. I love that people have somewhere to go [during the holidays].” Most people would worry about insurance or visitors stealing property from the gym. It crosses Barlow’s mind from time to time, but the good always outweighs the bad. “Look,” Barlow preaches, “you can always get a shitty person. That’s just the way it is. But at the same time I think this is such a great escape for a lot of these kids. Some of which have had bad deaths in the family, like a mom or dad, and this is a spot where I can give these kids some parental guidance without it feeling forced, like a step dad nobody likes or something like that.” Aston resident Barry Boyle, who lifts at the
The rat-dog flag, a Snapchat sensation.
View of Barlow’s backyard trail to the garage.
Aston residents Ed Penza and Barry Boyle lifting inside the garage.
PHOTOS BY JOE D’IGNAZIO ’18
Page 12
The Index - Features
Protestors at the Defund Planned Parenthood Rally in West Chester, PA.
“PRIVATE PROPERTY: NO TRESPASSING.” The only thing that divided the protesters and Planned Parenthood was a subtle, white line that read these four words. The protestors, all of whom were in their late forties or older, purposefully made sure to never cross that line. For them, respect was their number-one priority. “F--- you,” yelled the middle-aged man as he turned into an adjacent parking lot in his old, beat up Toyota minivan. The protesters seemed unfazed. “Honestly, we just begin to ignore what they say. And then we pray for them. We pray that they will find God, and pray that they can find eternal happiness,” said Margie of Media, Pennsylvania. A golden cross dangled from her necklace. As she would lift her sign which said, “Children Are A Blessing From The Lord,” into the air, the gold cross would reflect the sun’s rays into the air and into the pavement in front of the Planned Parenthood on Wayne Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “F--- you, I love abortion.” “This is what our society has become,” said Mary of West Chester as she held her blue Defund Planned Parenthood sign. “It is really sad because they don’t seem to value life.” “You should see what they really do at these Planned Parenthoods. Trucks drive up to the back of the alleys and take the body parts away and sell them for profit. Have you seen those videos where the Planned Parenthood representative was talking about selling baby body parts?” said Margie. The videos Margie refers to were released on July 14th, 2015 by The Center for Medical Progress. Their videos, the result of a three-year undercover operation, purportedly shows Planned Parenthood doctor, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, admitting to a pair of actors pretending to be buyers from a human biologics company that Planned Parenthood sells organs from aborted fetuses. “That really drew the line for me. How is that humane? You know what they say: ‘Don’t step on those turtle eggs,’ but let’s rip that baby out of there,” said Carey of Downingtown, who held up an Adoption is Love sign. Faith was a driving factor for many of the protestors. Sister Mary, a nun at St. Agnes’s Catholic Church in West Chester, held her green sign high which said “Defund Planned Parenthood.” What was leading their mission was their devotion to God. Many of the counter-protestors who drove by in their cars screaming expletives and using obscene gestures may call these protesters religious zealots, but their mission was clear. “We don’t want our tax dollars going towards abortion.” “They should stop federal and state taxes for Planned Parenthood because all they do is take the money and launder it right back to the politicians that vote for planned parenthood. So they use your tax dollars to support candidates who want to keep planned parenthood running,” said Bob Gillies, four-term Township Commissioner of Springfield Township Ward 7. During the 2016 election, Planned Parenthood’s political-action group spent over thirty-eight million dollars
to elect Democratic politicians. In its 2016–17 annual report, the group reportedly spent forty million on “public policy,” as well as upwards of one hundred seventy five million dollars on categories as “movement building,” “strengthening and securing Planned Parenthood,” and “engaging communities,” which ultimately translates to funding political campaigns. “Undoubtedly, most of the money spent by Planned Parenthood flows into the pockets of politicians willing to push for policies that benefit Planned Parenthood’s bottom line by protecting abortion on demand,” said Gillies. “And they vilify Marco Rubio for accepting donations from the NRA, who have never killed anyone.” According to FEC filings and The Center for Responsive Politics, Senate candidates such as Bill Nelson received ten-thousand dollars from Planned Parenthood in the 2012 election. In the same year, Elizabeth Warren, a strong proponent of removing special interests from politics, received $8,500 from Planned Parenthood. Both Nelson and Warren are up for re-election this year and even before the primaries in May, both candidates have received a combined $2500 in donations from Planned Parenthood. Gillies has been active in politics his whole life, spending 24 years involved in Springfield Township local government. But he feels that today, his goal and missions of positively impacting his local community is needed now more than ever. Bob created the now famous “Love Lives Here” signs. His goal: “My fellow Springfield Township Republicans and I are trying to use these signs to inform new people moving into Montgomery County that Republicans are not haters, racists or exclusive.” The signs read “Love Lives Here:” Love
DAVID MCKAY ’18
of God – Family – Friends – Country – Community & The U.S. Constitution. “The signs have become so popular that we have been getting orders from around the country,” said Gillies These signs are a counter protest to “Hate Has No Home Here” signs that popped up in yards across the country in the wake of the election of Donald Trump. “Many of my supporters who support Trump feel the signs are calling them bigots and haters. This makes them annoying at best and offensive at worst,” Gillies said. “F--- you, b----,!” yelled another car whizzing by as Bob, his Wife Joan, and ten other protestors held their signs in the air. The majority of the protestors were women. “Believe it or not, political discourse is not at a all-time high. What is at a all-time high is social media and the ability to communicate; but if you go back to Vietnam, the 60s and 70s race riots, that is what political discourse looks like. It had always been this way. Don’t let people tell you it hasn’t been. Currently, political discourse is actually pretty good,” Gillies said. Still, Gillies sees finding middle ground, specifically on abortion, to be very difficult. “It’s very difficult to have a middle ground when someone believes it’s murder and someone else believes it’s not, so they are very very diametrically opposed positions, so its very hard to come to a middle ground. It’s so one issue. If you don’t have life, you don’t have anything.” “But taxpayer dollars,” interjected his wife Joan of 31 years, who was dress in a blue sweater and white pants. “But if it is deemed legal by the United States that abortion is legal, then that’s what we have
Carie (Downingtown, PA) holding an Adoption Is Love sign.
June 2018 to live by. But they shouldn’t have to take out taxes, and they should force us to contribute to something that we are morally opposed to,” said Gillies. “This rally is about ending abortion, but the middle ground and starting point would be to end federal funding for it. And if they want to survive on their own with charitable donations to Planned Parenthood from people who feel that way, then let them do it; but don’t let them take five dollars from every American citizen and give it to Planned Parenthood.” To most of the protestors, the main event was in Washington D.C. in January during the annual March for Life on Washington. “We went to the March for Life this year and are renting a bus next year. It was the best experience to see the variety of people there: to see young, predominantly young kids from Notre Dame to Harlem, all races creeds, colors,” said Gillies. “There was no violence. Everything was clean and the event was respected,” said Joan. “It was really a nice movement. The march was amazing with the number of people and to hear it not covered at all was quite disappointing. The very next day, there was the women’s march, really anti-women, its all about the agenda,” Bob said. While the pro-life movement may not be experiencing the same press coverage as movements such as the Women’s March or the March for our Lives, Gillies feels optimistic about the future. “There is a cultural shift. Predominantly, [the young age] group is stepping up and being a prolife group, so that’s going to help in the long run. Vote for the right person.” While many who are pro-choice may view this rally as an attempt to make abortion illegal and head back to the days of clothes hangers in the back of an alley, that is not the goal of these protestors. “This protest is about abortion, but at the end of the day, the law is the law. So we are protesting Planned Parenthood. [Planned Parenthood] treats you like nothing. You walk in there and they don’t talk to you, there is no counseling, previously, or post [abortion], and it puts a lot of stress on women to get abortions. It’s not good for them. Try to get a mammogram. They claim they do them, but they just refer you out to someone else.” Gillies contributes this support of abortion and Planned Parenthood by our culture to the lack of values being taught. The three criteria for staying out of poverty are: Graduate from high school, have a job, and wait until marriage to have a child. Poverty does drive women to abortion, according to the Concerned Women For America Legislative Action Committee. The economic incentive that it is cheaper to pay for an abortion compared to the cost of raising a child is a significant driving force. Three out of four women who have an abortion are low income and cluster near or below the poverty line. Unmarried women account for about eighty-five percent of all abortions. “Abstinence is not being taught, but the third thing is to be married. Millenials are not a marrying people. That does not seem to be an ambition. All the stars and athletes are having children out of wedlock. Pop culture affects the youth. As a man, you will see that married men have different goals then just guy, and you aren’t a man until you have that responsible, and nowadays a lot of men are just deferring or ignoring that responsibility, and that is a big problem,” said Gillies.
DAVID MCKAY ’18
Page 13
“I don’t know who coined the term, but he had a shock of white hair... so [that’s] the silver part, and the fox was he was just able to sniff things out, he was there when you didn’t think anyone would be there.” said Paul O’Grady ’85. Don McBride, the Silver Fox, was tough. “He ran a tight ship,” said Chris O’Grady, Paul’s brother, “It was simple when you were a kid, then you get to be older and look back and say ‘wow’ he was very influential. He taught you discipline and accountability.” Don McBride was the Dean of Students, a title often synonymous with disciplinarian, but as the 1982 Haligoluk said, “Dean of Students Mr. McBride is much more than a dispenser of discipline... he operates in our best interests and administers justice with fairness and patience.” Mr. McBride won the respect of the entire Haverford Community working in the Upper School for twenty-five years as an English and Latin teacher, head varsity basketball coach, football coach, and Dean. McBride was a true man of others in all of his years of service to the young men he mentored and taught. Donald J. McBride passed away on March 11th, 2018, causing all of those with whom he shared time at Haverford and beyond to pay respect to his legacy.
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McBride’s presence on campus showed his pure devotion and leadership, not only for the school, but more importantly: the boys. Key to his presence was his office, located intentionally at the junction of student help centers, the entrance to the school, and the senior lounge. “You would’ve walked by his office 500 times a day, and his door was always wide open,” said Paul O’Grady. “He was very much a presence all the time, he would swoop in and out, unexpectedly. He was a guy who liked to do his laps around the school.” These laps were not trivial. O’Grady said “He could really have his fingers on the pulse of who was coming and going on a daily basis.” Mr. McBride motivated students in the classroom and on the court, setting high standards of achievement and accountability. Mr. Bo Dixon, eventually the school’s fifth headmaster, first met Mr. McBride in 1966 when he began teaching Middle School English. Mr. Dixon said, “There are many qualities that make Mr. McBride unique. Essentially, though, he was simply one of the best teacher-coaches on the planet. Tough, fair, disciplined, unfailingly prepared, and had the highest, but realistic, expectations for his students. He was known as a caring teacher-coach who encouraged his students to achieve more than they thought they could.”
Mr. McBride and the 1968-1969 basketball team.
Mr. McBride, serving as U.S. head in 1989.
1969 HALIGOLUK
Paul O’Grady attests to Mr. McBride’s “unique way” of motivating students. Mr. McBride did not focus on students who stood out, but on ones who needed an extra push. “He was a guy who identified [students] who were not tapping into their potential,” said O’Grady. “He never yelled — never heard him raise his voice — but would look you in the eye and he really knew you, he understood you, he was able to motivate you.” McBride was known to follow up motivation with real-life examples, providing students a logical way to see their futures. He was so focused on helping others succeed, McBride constantly started sentences with: “You could do ‘x’ if you did ‘y.” “If you weren’t screwing around here, if you spent a little more time here…” “Here’s where I see you.” John Stoviak ’69, said “I first met Coach McBride when I started at Haverford School as a 15-year-old sophomore (Form IV). I was a quarterback, and my first encounter was at football preseason camp somewhere in the Poconos. Coach McBride was coaching the linemen, and I felt fortunate to be with the backs because he was no nonsense and very demanding at practices. However, when the next season came up when I was a junior, Coach McBride switched and he was in charge of the backs, which meant that we practiced harder and ran a lot more 53-yard (the width of a football field) wind sprints than did the lineman.” But, Stoviak and McBride did not limit their relationship to the gridiron, McBride led the basketball team, during Stoviak’s senior year, to an Inter-Ac championship. Stoviak dubbed the story of that come-from-behind win as his favorite Don McBride story. “Haverford needed to beat a young Penn Charter team to tie for the Inter-Ac Championship. Penn Charter had two freshman,
June 2018 the twin Enoch brothers, and one sophomore who later went on to play big-time Division-I College Basketball, I think one of them played for Notre Dame. Haverford had a team mostly made up of seniors and we, generally, only played six or seven players — the starters playing a full court man-to-man press for the entire game.” “We had a very frustrating game that day for all but last 2 and ½ minutes” said Stoviak. “We shot poorly, our full-court press had not created any turnovers, and we trailed by 12 points with 2 and ½ minutes to go. Coach McBride called time out and, rather than chew us out for not playing better, he calmly looked each of us in the eye and told us to stick with the plan and keep working hard on the full-court press to get the Penn Charter guards to crack and make some mistakes. This calm and confident message inspired us to go out and force a series of turnovers and overcome the 12-point deficit winning on last second shot. Coach McBride perfectly read the situation and gave us the exact message we needed to hear. He was a master motivator.” Stoviak’s senior year consisted of a football and basketball Inter-Ac championship. When attributing the success, Stoviak said. “He also was incredibly perceptive of how best to motivate us to be better players and better young men. He was fair and we later found out that he has a marvelous sense of humor. We totally respected him as a leader and coach — he was our Vince Lombardi, and he played a huge role in preparing us.” McBride was known to many as a man of principle, from little things like only buying day-old blueberry muffins from the Bakery House because fresh ones were too expensive, as his son, Brian ’82, shared in his father’s memorial, all the way up to being the example of his values to the young men who looked up to him. “His style would transcend any generation… accountability, discipline: fundamentals of life that he truly believed in. There was no comprising,” said O’Grady. If students were out of line, McBride made sure they would hear about it. Chris O’Grady said, “He was a total ball-buster, always punishing people, but that’s what a bunch of punk kids need.” O’Grady even recalls particular time he had gotten into trouble. “He was a very strict man until you really got in trouble, then he was your friend,” O’Grady said telling the story “I had a little episode, and I avoided him for a week. The week goes by, and [McBride] brings me by. He goes ‘Chris, come here.’ I go ‘Hey! What’s up Mr. McBride?’ [Mr. McBride] goes ‘Are you avoiding me?’ I’m like ‘Yeah, absolutely!” O’Grady continued, “[McBride’s] message was: you [messed] up, but you know what, just let this thing pass.” Despite his punishments and strict form of tough love, each person undoubtedly saw the end goal for Mr. McBride, helping raise exemplary young men. Dixon said “At the risk of being controversial, I believe most generations, [current high schoolers included], fail to embrace the necessity for accountability. It is too often ‘someone else’s fault,’ or ‘I am the victim.’ Mr. McBride respectfully held colleagues and students to the highest level of accountability.”
1969 HALIGOLUK
1989 HALIGOLUK
A McBride sticker on the back of a lacrosse helmet.
ED KING ’18
Page 14 The alarm goes off and he slowly rolls out of bed. On his way to the bathroom, he looks outside and sees nothing but the light of street lamps and cars passing by the window of his small apartment. It’s five o’clock in the morning. After a small and hearty breakfast, William Hutchins is out the door. He can see the sun begin to rise on the tallest buildings of the city. On weekdays, Hutch walks to his friend’s house who lives right off of 59th and City Line. This trek usually takes him twenty minutes. He does all this to walk a young girl across the street to school. “I do this because her mother, who is already at work, is afraid of her crossing this gigantic intersection by herself,” Hutch says. Hutch returns to his home around 7:30 in the morning. By this time, the city begins waking up and coming to life. Hutch then spends about fifteen minutes in his apartment before he is out the door again. “About a month ago, my friend had a stroke. Now, every morning I go down to the hospital to shave him and try to show some concern for him.” In addition to these two, Hutch cares for many of his family members as well. “I take care of my son, who doesn’t seem to be able to get up on his feet. He’s in his forties, so I’m helping him. He’s talking about creating a non-profit organization, which I’m upset about because he has no idea what’s going on. I also monitor my brothers and sisters financially and make sure they’re making right decisions” Hutch also serves as a key role model to his fifteen-year-old granddaughter. He extols the importance of being educated with today’s topics and exploring the world. Hutch said, “I’m on the PTA of my granddaughters’ school. We have her in some social and educational programs. Socially, she’s involved with the ladies’ marches and she’s involved with subjects of the day such as racism, genderism, lack of equality, so we try to clue her in on those types of things,” Hutch says. “We sent my granddaughter to Japan last year for two weeks over the summer and three years before that we sent her to England and France. I think she learned a lot from it. We’re currently raising money to send her to Africa in the near future.” In the afternoons, Hutch takes the train to Haverford and begins his shift at the Merion Cricket Club, where he coordinates the bowling alley. This entails ordering the shoes and new balls, taking care of the maintenance, and scheduling reservations. But Hutch’s true passion behind his job goes beyond bowling. As he said, “I love speaking to the children. I interact with most all the kids, no matter what age, and ask them what they’re doing in school and about whatever else is going on in their life.” Hutch retains in his desk at the alley hundreds of books he has procured and doles them out on a regular basis to the boys and girls that come in to bowl. Bowling is just a job for Hutch. Its real pur-
The Index - Features
June 2018
PHOTOS BY JACKSON SPAHR ’18
pose is to influence young boys and girls through reading and education. In addition to handing out books, Hutch often tells stories of his youth as a black boy growing up during the Civil Rights era. When he was thirteen, he was on his way to play basketball in North Philadelphia and was approached by the police, who were searching for an allegedly drunken suspect. The police accosted him unjustly. He mentioned the beating he endured while in custody and the strength of his mother who came to the police station and got him released at a time when race relations were far more discordant than they are today.
The bowling alley at Merion Cricket Club.
At the end of the work day, Hutch heads back to his apartment. “There’s not too much time for myself, but the time I do have for myself I basically read and educate myself. I believe in doing a lot of reading. It reaps many benefits. Most of my reading is in non-fiction, so I study up on history and follow today’s politics. I try to stay up on everything I can. So if people ask me a question, I have the answer.” Hutch lives alone. “My wife died of cancer slightly over nine years ago. Currently, I have several girlfriends. I’m there for them. They’re there for me.” Although having multiple relationships is un-
usual, Hutch is able to serve as an emotional support to that many women without hurting them. Anyone that has the opportunity to spend time with Hutch is fortunate. As a visitor bowled his last frame and bid Hutch farewell, he said, “Remember pursuit of higher education and loving your neighbor as yourself are the two most important qualities of a great life.”
Hutch speaking with Jack Kirkpatrick ’20 at the bowling alley.
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Diamond Fords leap toward rewarding season RYAN LAROCCA ’20
MR. JIM ROESE
Connor Brala ’20 chases an SCHA runner.
After last year’s dominant season, the Fords baseball team recently completed another successful season. Finishing with an overall record of 19-14, the Fords baseball team closed their season on Thursday, May 24, in a loss to Malvern Prep in the PAISAA tournament. Although the Fords fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the Inter-Ac and state championship, there were many bright spots throughout the spring. The team began with an explosive start, winning the first five games of their season. These early wins can be attributed to the excellent leadership of upperclassmen and the contributions of Fourth Formers on the team. Sixth Form leadership both influenced the team and led Fords baseball to success this season.
Sixth Formers such as Justin Meyer, Isaiah Winikur, Tommy Bagnell, Nick Holtz, and Grady Nance all contributed to the team, whether it was from on the field or from in the dugout. Patrick Toal, a Fourth Form member on the baseball team, commented on the fantastic leadership provided by the Sixth Formers; “The [Sixth Formers] on the team led vocally and by example this year. They motivated us and made us believe we could succeed.” Some of the team’s younger players also contributed to the team’s success; these players included IV Formers Patrick Toal, Connor Brala, and Chris Clark. Toal pitched many successful innings to coincide with his productive play at first base and batting; Brala also experienced a productive sea-
son from behind the plate. Clark, who was sidelined due to injury for part of the year, improved drastically on the mound from last year. Sixth Form Captain Justin Meyer praised the efficiency of the Fourth Formers. “With only three sophomores on the the team, [Pat] Toal, [Connor] Brala, and Chris [Clark], they performed well this past season. Toal earned first team all Inter-Ac and Brala was solid behind the dish. Chris Clark’s arm velocity has spiked up a lot but due to injury we couldn’t see his full potential this season. Next year, the Fords will expect the Class of 2020 to step up a lot and play a major role next year.” After the Inter-Ac season’s culmination, three of the Fords’ Baseball players were selected for AllInter-Ac teams. Justin Meyer, an infielder, Patrick
Toal, an infielder and pitcher, were both selected to the All-Inter-Ac First Team. Isaiah Winikur, an outfielder, was selected to the All-Inter-Ac SeconTeam. Three members of Haverford’s Class of 2018 plan to play baseball next year in college. J u s t i n Meyer will attend and play baseball at the University of Richmond. Grady Nance will attend and play baseball next year at the University of Washington; Isaiah Winikur will attend and play baseball next year at Towson University. Other members of the baseball team and Class of 2018 are Tommy Bagnell and Nick Holtz. Tommy Bagnell will attend Penn State University, and Nick Holtz will attend the University of South Carolina.
Understaffed ultimate Fords surprise fans, look to next year DANIEL CHOW ‘20 Despite an unfortunately short season, the ultimate frisbee team finished the year strong with a positive 3-2 record. Due to inclement weather and a lack of players, the team was only able to participate in five games throughout the entire season, an underwhelming number compared to their typical 11-to-14-game season. For the few matches they played, the team still had a fantastic season, playing well against top division powerhouses. Led by Sixth Form captains David Aspinall, Bobby Stratts, Satch Baker, Benji Bacharach, Grey Rumain, and Aidan Mantelmacher, the team put in hard hours of practice throughout the spring that clearly paid off in their games. First-year Sixth Form player Bobby Stratts said, “Even though we didn’t have that many games, the team played some of the best I’ve ever seen. In practice no one felt ostracized or left out of the rotation, everyone was friends, and we were led by a supportive and determined coach, Mr. Ressler.” The ultimate team surprised spectators by digging down and beating various top-ranked teams as underdogs. In one of the most memorable matches against Carroll, the team took home a 15-9 victory on the home turf of Sabol Field.
Stratts said, “It was the last game ever played on Sabol field and everyone performed well, and I couldn’t have asked for a better game to end the season.” During the little games that they had, each player shined with high-level performance. “People knew exactly their roles on the team which led to some really nice plays during the games,” Stratts said. “It truly felt awesome to be a part of this whole experience in the end, and that’s coming from a first year player.” The season came to an abrupt end when the team was forced to forfeit the end-of-season tournament due to a lack of Fifth and Sixth Formers participating. Next year, the team is looking to recruit more players to add to their roster. Additionally, they are hoping to bounce back with a more fruitful season, but it will be a test for the team as many key seniors will be moving onto college. As for next year’s leaders, current juniors George Maguire and Barrett Spragg will be stepping up to the plate. Stratts said, “They will be crucial to the team next year, along with anyone else who wants to step up.” Barrett Spragg ‘19 winds up for a deep pass.
MR. JIM ROESE
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Tennis serves up Inter-Ac championship DANIEL CHOW ’20 Carrying on their momentum from previous years, Fords tennis had a successful season, finishing with a 9-3 record. For the ninth year in a row, the team took home the Inter-Ac Championship after toppling their rivals, EA, 6-1 in matches. Led by Sixth Form captains John Walsh and Grayson Potter and trained by Coach Antonio Fink, the team performed strongly throughout the season. They competed at a high caliber
of play at all times. As one of the most successful tennis teams in the nation, the Fords tennis team was invited to the selective High School Nationals in California during the preseason, where sixteen of the nation’s best private high schools faced off in a bracket-system for the championship title. Unfortunately, due to an unlucky draw, Haverford faced off against the number-one seeded team in the first round and did not do too well. It was still a great experience for the players, however, as they were able to learn from watching the highest level of high school tennis. Sixth Former Grayson Potter, one of the Sixth Form captains, says, “It was a great bonding experience for the team and really helped us for the rest of the season.” The team encountered another tough tournament when they came up short placing 4th at NEMA, the New England / Mid-Atlantic Doubles Invitational. They did not do poorly though, as first doubles Grayson Potter and John Walsh made it to the finals, where they lost to Lawrenceville. Despite the rocky tournaments, the team played with fervor during the regular season, beating the top teams in the Inter-Ac as well as traveling to defeat the top teams in New Jersey. Ending the season with high spirits, Potter says, “I’m really happy with our team’s performance, and it was an overall great season.” Hopes are high for next year’s team to hold their current standard of excellence, as Potter says, “We are losing a lot of key players this year but there are some greatly talented rising juniors and sophomores and freshman who will help the team next year to secure our 10th Inter-Ac win in a row.” Rising Fifth Formers Sunny Yu, Cole Wolf, and Aly Ba , who have played large roles in this year’s success will have the pressure on them to maintain the dynasty. Yu says, “We should be fine with the pressure, it isn’t going to be a big deal. The influence the upperclassmen have had on us has prepared us well enough.”
MR. JIM ROESE
Nik Chakraborty ’19 hitting a forehand.
Cole Wolf ‘20 surveying the situation during an intense doubles’ match.
MR. JIM ROESE
Track runners reflect on record-breaking performances VINCENT SCAUZZO ’20 The 2018 Track Team was talented, with many runners breaking school and personal records. The team placed a disappointing third at Inter-Acs this year. However, the amount of effort and individual success that occurred made it worthwhile.
other seniors step up and lead, which was great.” At the team dinner, many of the Sixth Form runners commented on how the team impacted them profoundly. Mr. Kolade said, “We have the ability to win the three main relay events (4x100, 4x400, and 4x800) at almost any meet we go to, and that sets us apart. We have a solid core of guys who can do a number of different events well.” Distance coach Mr. Brian Long talked about how he agreed that the team had a successful year. He is looking forward to next year with Third Former Alfred Sanford being one of the fastest 800-meter runners in the state, and Fourth Former Lleyton Winslow, who made tremendous progress on his mile and 800 times. Mr. Long thinks the team’s current training is working very well. This year, the Fords had the most points at Inter-Acs scored by distance runners since Long began coaching, proving his methods get results.
“My favorite moment was probably when Dan Whaley won the 400 at Inter-Acs and broke the school record. I picked this because of how devastated he was last year to come into the finals as the top seed and lose. Plus, it was a great moment to see how happy his teammates were for him, and it highlighted how hard work does pay off.” “The distance guys, especially -Mr. Luqman Kolade Sixth Formers Will Merhige and Mark Gregory, had great seaHead Coach Mr. Luqman Kolade said, “My sons.” favorite moment was probably when Dan Whaley -Mr. Luqman Kolade won the 400 at Inter-Acs and broke the school record. I picked this because of how devastated he was last year to come into the finals as the top seed and lose. Plus, it was a great moment to see how happy his teammates were for him, and it highlighted how hard work does pay off. Also, [another great moment was] when the 4x100 won at Inter-Acs because we had so much trouble getting the baton around that it was great to see them get it together when it counted.” Although the team achieved success throughout the season, some of the top seniors, including high hurdler Sam Lindner, did not run this season because of injuries. While that might have held some other teams back, these injuries inspired the Fords and only made them faster. “Sam did a great job of being around and basically still being part of the team,” Mr. Kolade said, “and that helped a great deal. The team reacted well, and we had
Mr. Kolade does not think there was any one runner who impacted the team the most this year, which is a testament to the team’s strength as a whole. He did have a few people in mind, though, who stood out because of their achievements. “The distance guys, especially Sixth Formers Will Merhige and Mark Gregory, had great seasons. Sixth Former Ben Stallworth helped us out in the hurdles and got better every week, even scoring in an event where I didn’t think we would. Fifth Former Dan Whaley shifting over to the shorter sprints was big for us, as well as Daiyaan Hawkins of the Fourth Form coming back and dominating in the 100 and 200 at Inter-Acs. Third Former Tyler Seward in the jumps was a great surprise and addition as well.”
DR. MICHAEL NANCE
Sam Lindner ’18 embracing Dan Whaley ’19 after setting the school record in 400 meters at Inter-Ac Track Championships.
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June 2018
Crew team cruises to national win MATT LAROCCA ’18
Thomas Russell ’19, Jeff Pendergast ’19, Owen Vanderzwan ’20, Sebastian Bilash ’20 in the JV quad.
After a strong showing at Philadelphia City Championships in early May, the crew team capped off their spring season with the Stotesbury Cup Regatta (May 18-19) and SRAA National Championships (May 25-26). The Fords had six boats entered at Stotesbury (the largest high school regatta in the world), which was relocated last-minute to Cooper River, New Jersey, due to weather. The Freshman Quad of Beau Christopher, Seneker Zelov, George Lanchoney, and Henri Waché rowed exceptionally well in tough conditions to improve from fifth in the time trials to bring home a bronze medal in the finals. It was a stellar result for a young group of guys that had failed to medal at PSRA City
Championships. Likewise, the JV Double of Andrew D’Arcangelo ’19 and Conor Wood ’20 had a successful weekend, improving from sixth place in their time trial to finish fifth in a highlycompetitive final. The JV Quad of Thomas Russell ’19, Jeffrey Pendergast ’19, Owen Vanderzwan ’20, and Sebastian Bilash ’20 battled to a third place finish less than two seconds behind silver medalists Ridgewood. The Varsity Four of Jack Costello ’18, Aidan Leavy ’19, David McKay ’18, Tim Scheuritzel ’18, and Nelson Liu ’19 entered the weekend with high hopes and expectations coming off a gold medal finish at City Championships. After
MR. JIM ROESE
progressing through time trials and winning their semi-final nine seconds over third-place Wakefield, the Fords attempted to repeat at finals. The Fords fell to a disappointing fifth place in the final. The SRAA National Championships mark the conclusion of Haverford’s spring season. With crews seeded through pre-qualification regional regattas, the Fords were entered in four events for the weekend. Holding momentum off their Stotesbury performance, the Freshman Quad placed third in their heat before finishing fifth in their final. Though disappointed not to medal, the result was nonetheless impressive and a fitting way to end an successful rookie campaign. Despite
failing to advance past the heats, the JV Four of Pierce Berkman ’20, Will Griffiths ’19, Thomas Laporta ’20, Evan Brabson ’20, and Andrew Tornetta ’20 nevertheless battled to the end in a highly competitive field to end their season. The JV Quad won their Friday heat with the fastest overall time in the event, entering Saturday with momentum and expectation. However, after a grueling battle down the entire course, the Fords’ sprint came up just short. They finished their season with a bronze medal performance. Everyone in both the JV Quad and Four will be returning next season. Finally, the Varsity Four entered the weekend with a chip on their shoulder after a disappointing result at Stotesbury. With three seniors in the boat, this regatta held a note of finality; the event provided one last opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and win a national championship. Racing in a new lineup (with Tim Scheuritzel sliding up to stroke and everyone else moving back a seat), the Varsity Four was prepared to do so. Seeded fourth in the event, the Fords rowed the fastest overall time to win their Friday heat three seconds faster than their nearest competitors. The crew then faced a highly-competitive semi-final that included Peddie (fourth-place finishers at Stotesbury), Wakefield, and St. Ignatius Chicago. Responding to the challenge, the Fords won their Saturday morning semi-final one second clear of Wakefield and four seconds over third-place Peddie. Once again, the Fords claimed the fastest overall time to stake their spot in the Grand Final. Tensions ran high going into the afternoon, facing a field that included both Stotesbury silvermedalists Nichols and bronze-medalists Blair. At 2:05 P.M., the starting horn blared for the Men’s Varsity Four Grand Final. Four minutes and fifty-one seconds later, the Fords were crowned national champions, a full 1.5 seconds clear of silver medalists Nichols. It was a fitting way to end a long season marked by trials and tribulations. Seniors Tim Scheuritzel, Jack Costello, and David McKay will all be continuing their rowing careers at Princeton, Dartmouth, and Colgate respectively. “We are excited about the underclassmen that we currently have and the future of the team,” says Head Coach Mr. Jonathan Stephanik.
Laxmen beat EA, lose to Malvern in tournament final NICK PIPPIS ‘19
‘ It was a Friday Night under the lights at Cabrini University. The student fan section was out in full force rocking their jorts. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, relatives, and alumni all came out. Everyone was excited to witness the rivalry between EA and Haverford. From the second the whistle blew, the Fords were off to the races scoring their first goal in less than ten seconds. The Laxen managed to keep the game in their control after this and for the rest of the night never let Episcopal come close to catching up. It was a great night for the Haverford Community. According to Fifth Former Gavin Burke, it was nights like these that were the highlight of his season. “Being able to see our whole community show out and support us is always a great feeling. On top of this, it felt amazing to come together as a team and play our best that night,” Burke said. Fords Lacrosse experienced many successful moments like that this year. They finished with an overall record of sixteen wins and four losses, managed to be placed in the number-one seed for the playoff tournament, and made it to the finals of the playoff tournament. However, they unfortunately lost to Malvern in the championship. Fifth Former Connor Devine stated that “The team is obviously upset about the result of the final. However, looking to next year, we have the goal of winning the championship.”
Next year’s team looks promising with very strong rising senior, junior, sophomore, and
freshmen classes. Although a solid chunk of this years forwards were seniors, the team feels they
Pearse Glavin ‘20 pakes a pass against the Canadian team Everest.
can make up for it with their defense and midfield remaining strong.
DR. MICHAEL NANCE
Cryptocurrrency conference, cont. This problem is eradicated with decentralized currencies. Decentralized currencies are purely peer-to-peer, meaning that the transactions will occur solely between the two participants of the transaction: there are no fees involved. Other benefits of cryptocurrencies include better security of transactions, access to everyone in every market, and a total ownership of the currency by the consumer. Transactions are much more secure because cryptocurrencies are digitally encrypted, which makes it harder to steal.
Additionally, via the technology of blockchains, transactions are stored publicly in order to see when a transaction occurred and whether it was valid or not. Proponents of cryptocurrencies at the conference, such as Director of Research at Coindesk Nolan Bauerle, discussed the benefits of this technology. Firstly, theft and fraud of cryptocurrency is near-impossible due to the blockchain ledger. Also, the issue of illegal, under-the-table transactions between individuals
is eradicated because of the public nature of the blockchain. If Bitcoin continues its bullish trajectory, and more businesses accept it, it is possible that it may become a global currency and could, therefore, be used around the globe between a buyer and seller of any nationality. This would make transactions much more efficient and make currency trading and exchange rates a thing of the past. In a perfect world, this would further benefit global commerce. But we do not always live in a perfect
world. Sometimes, government policies and interventions hinder the growth of these secondary currencies. Also, some people simply invest in cryptocurrencies because they think it is cool to do so. Much further work needs to be done to decide whether cryptocurrencies really have a place in our world or not. The conference was an all-around success.
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June 2018
Solo: A Star Wars supplement MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ’21
Solo at Narberth Theater.
INDEX STAFF
In spite of not meeting original box-office expectations by experts, Solo: A Star Wars Story provides a pleasant family experience that also emanates nostalgia for hardcore Star Wars fans. As Disney begins its plan of releasing a new Star Wars film every year, Solo joins Rogue One (2016) as the only two films not ap art of the original saga. This all comes on the toes of two other major movies released by Disney — Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther. Back when it was first announced that Lucasfilm would be creating a Han Solo origins movie, fans caused a backlash — they did not want to see anyone else attempt to recreate the role made famous by Harrison Ford back in 1977. The new movie’s star, Alden Ehrenreich, took note of the fans’ outcry and met with Ford before production began in order to learn some of the ways he should approach the character. The movie covers much of Han Solo’s backstory, stretching all the way to his first days as a smuggler when he escaped from his home planet. The audience is introduced to many new characters such as Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke), Han’s love interest. Another major character is Beckett (Woody Harrelson); Beckett teams up with Han as they venture across the galaxy on a major heist. Unlike Rogue One, which focused on a small group of rebels who steal the plans to the Death Star, A New Hope, Solo lacks a larger meaning.
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By the end, it resembles more of a setup to another smaller scale cinematic universe, as it follows the criminal underworld of the Star Wars Universe between the time of the prequels and original trilogy. There are many events and cameos that lead to this belief and, at some points, hurt what would have been a phenomenal stand-alone film otherwise. All of the main cast is signed on for at least three more films, so the viewing process did not carry as much weight as other movies as more uncertain futures might. The main focus of Solo is too far and beyond to answer any questions that you may or may not have had about Han Solo — everything from how he got his last name to where he met Chewbacca. While the film takes us on a new adventure, it cannot help but feel, as The New York Time’s A.O. Scott put it, “A filmed Wikipedia page.” Solo is a great film to see, as it gives the backstory to one of the most beloved characters in film history, but it also, at times, feels unnecessary and pushed. It fails to add to the overall Star Wars Universe and serves as a stepping stone to more Disney Star Wars movies in the future. While there are some parts that could have been better, the future of Star Wars is very exciting, and Solo builds on that excitement by providing an action packed, suspenseful, and thrilling viewing experience. LUCASFILM.JPG
Buckwalter farewell, cont. One says, “She always helps me,” another, “She always gives me hugs.” All are signed with “Love.” Ms. Buckwalter has taught here for 28 years, instilling empathy, gratitude, and a love of learning in generations of Haverford boys. Whether it’s these values, a winter reenactment of the Polar Express, the rainforest unit, or her reassuring hugs, the hundreds of Buckwalter students have remembered her and her teachings throughout their lives. One of her first students, now a Harvard-educated lawyer, said she “taught him how to laugh when he learns,” and she helped another, now in the advertising business, find his niche in the arts, telling him “how great he was.” Ms. Buckwalter sits in one of the miniature lower school chairs, with one of the ABC rugs at her feet, backed by the papier maché rainforest tree. A poster of emotions and a calendar are on the far wall, with a shelf filled with Froggy and Dr. Seuss books lines the near one. “I always wanted to be a teacher when I was little,” she says. “I worked at my synagogue as a young girl, we ran a little school in the summertime.” She embraced her love of teaching through most of her early career and worked at Saint David’s Nursery School before coming to Haverford. When the lower school first established Jr. K, she received a call asking her to apply for the job. “I didn’t think I was ready,” she said. But after working for two years with her mentor Jane Silcox on “how to be a pre-K teacher, not
just any teacher,” she accepted the position she would hold for the next 28 years: lead teacher of pre-kindergarten. “I just love it. I like getting up in the morning and coming to work, and I love watching the boys grow.” Throughout her time here, she has made an unparalleled impact on early education within Haverford and without. “I’ve never stayed stagnant while I’ve been here,” she says. “I’ve grown most in the last ten years as an educator.” She has mastered an integrated curriculum based upon tactile learning. Her lessons combine science, math, art, communication, and teamwork to keep students engaged with hands-on activities. “They get to take ownership of their learning,” she says. “They’re painting, learning, dicating, expressing language, using descriptive words with a beginning, middle and an end, and they don’t even know they’re doing it.” Her famous rainforest unit includes covering the whole classroom in paper and having the kids finger-paint the animals and trees. “They can tell you all the layers of the rainforest,” she said proudly. National pre-K workshops attract teachers to exchange their knowledge of pre-K teaching. Ms. Buckwalter recently administered one such workshop in Orlando, Florida called Integrated Learning. “The school allows me to go to workshops to
keep up on the latest new techniques in education and network with teachers across the world,” she said. “I present as well, and people are using our curriculum at other schools.”
“I think they’re special, they all have their own gifts,” she said. “I try to make them feel comfortable because this will hopefully be their home for the next fourteen years.” -Mrs. Buckwalter Along with her exemplary emphasis on academic curriculum, Ms. Buckwalter ensures that she provides her students with love and support so that they can find their confidence. “I think they’re special, they all have their own gifts,” she said. “I try to make them feel comfortable because this will hopefully be their home for the next fourteen years.” She focuses her teachings and support on the individual, ensuring that no child is left behind and that the learning environment is inclusive. “Every child is different, and I have to find the key to that child. They might not learn the way the boy next to them learns. I find what is going to work for them and what isn’t.” There is a major emphasis across her entire
year’s lessons on diversity and the idea that “we’re all different, but we’re all the same.” “It’s different than it was a hundred years ago; we all live among each other. I want to teach them how to respect other people’s cultures.” Ms. Buckwalter prioritizes every child’s comfort in the classroom. When one of her students, Nikolai, who was a Russian immigrant, wanted to be called by the more American Alexander, Ms. Buckwalter responded, “No, because your name is beautiful.” She then rearranged her curriculum to include a new unit on Russian culture and folk tales. With such privilege in attending Haverford, Ms. Buckwalter incorporates service learning into class excursions. On Valentine’s Day, the pre-K assembles dozens of PB&Js, slips them into brown bags and boxes them for the homeless. “I try to make the kids aware that they have so much,” she said. “When they get into the car, they get handed a juice or a snack every day. When I told them that lots of people don’t get a snack, it was a real shock.” Ms. Buckwalter will be applying her skills as a volunteer at Chester Charter School for the Arts and plans on substitute teaching. With a scholarship that bears her name and a lasting impact on the lives of her students and on pre-K education, Ms. Buckwalter has left a lasting legacy. Her teaching assistants Ms. Rosalee Innocent and Ms. Stacy Ryan say, “There are some big shoes to fill.”
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The Index - Arts
June 2018
Three Sixth Formers prepare for maiden voyage YAN GRAF ’20
MR. MATT GREEN
Tyler Roland ’18, John Nelligan ’18, and Grayson Potter ’18 testing their boat in McQuillen Pool.
It is the last month of school, and of course, seniors are yet again busy toiling away on their senior projects. While most are silently doing their work off-campus, out of sight for the rest of us, this year, three seniors have been working hard on campus in the Art Department. If you’ve passed by the art rooms at all in the past few weeks, you will have certainly noticed a boat being built from scratch.You may also have spotted Sixth Formers Grayson Potter, Tyler Roland, and John Nelligan working diligently at it with assistance from Mr. Thorburn and Mr. Ressler. As the boat slowly takes shape, it seems students are only getting more interested in the details and purposes of this eye-catching project. As it turns out, the idea of a couple of seniors working together to create watercraft didn’t originate from these three. As Potter explains, “We saw, I think two years ago, Jay Losty and Jack Henderson built two wooden canoes, and we thought it would be cool to replicate it.” Before they could begin constructing their boat, however, they first had to select and buy a blueprint for themselves. Roland explains how they went about getting a design ready for the
boat, saying, “We bought a boat blueprint online, which are widely available. Other than that, we [made] some modifications here and there, obviously, Mr. Thorburn helped us a lot with those, but other than that, we mostly stuck to the original boat plan.” After figuring out the boat plan, they were finally ready to build their boat. However, it was not to be nearly as easy as imagined. Nelligan says, “The other two seniors got two canoes done in six hours each. We thought our boat would take 30 hours to do, but we’re already over 70. It was just a lot more manual labor than we expected.” Roland says the hardest part about the project was the skeg, which is the plastic part under the boat that protects the rudder. Nelligan and Potter sketched out the plywood parts, which Nelligan says was “all measurements, and they all have to be really precise. That alone took two days.” Still, they learned a lot from the project. Nelligan says, “Obviously, we learned how to build a boat, but I think I really learned how to work through adversity. As I said, it was planned to take 30 hours, but we’re at over 70 already.”
Mr. Ressler, Grayson Potter ’18, and John Nelligan ’18 discussing the boat’s construction.
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However, the question still remains: what they are going to do with the boat once it is completed? Roland explained their future plans about the boat, saying, “We’re going to bring it up to Lake George, in upstate New York, Adirondacks. We’re going to first test it in the pool, but, if it works, we’re taking it up.” Potter chimed in, adding that “it’s a present for Tyler’s grandparents.” Regardless, it is evident that the guys, despite
the difficulties, are happy with what they have created and have certainly learned a thing or two about boats. So, if anyone happens to be in the Lake George region this summer, make sure to keep an eye out on the water—you might just catch a glance of this nifty vessel.
“An American artist performing at the World Cup where all nations come together is pretty important. It will be something special for [Americans] and for everybody to remember.” Soccer fans like Martin see the importance of Will Smith’s performance but do not see how it can make an immediate impact. Most would agree in saying that this is the first step of many necessary to implement soccer into the American culture — the process will be gradual. Fourth Form soccer fan Yan Graf agrees. “It is, after all, just a song, not real soccer,” Graf said. Fourth Former Ben Hokenson said, “I don’t know if a song can really make something that popular.” Clearly, the optimism lies in the spreading
of real soccer. These soccer fans see more of an immediate impact in Will Smith’s performance which can maybe lead to the dissemination of real soccer, but for now, it seems to be a temporary effect. Fourth Former Udai Bindra says, “I’m not so sure about Will Smith’s impact, but I guess it’s something for people who are not so interested in soccer and are more into the celebrity aspect. It may attract more people [Americans] than normal.” Martin adds how he thinks this can help over time: “I think people will see this and begin to see and realize, you know, the importance of soccer and what they’ve been missing out on.”
Fresh Prince signs for soccer AGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21 In the past World Cup, performers have often included Latin American performers such as Shakira, Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and several others. However, on Friday, May 25, 2018, Will Smith, together with Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi, released the official World Cup song called “Live It Up” produced by DJ Diplo. Will Smith’s role for 2018 World Cup in Russia has been seen as a new move for soccer, as it tries to expand to the United States. Especially this year, since the United States did not qualify for the World Cup, this could be a big attention grabber throughout the country. He will perform the song prior to the game at the opening ceremony on June 14, 2018. Many see this as a historic event that will almost immediately increase the
viewership of the World Cup amongst Americans and possibly host a lasting impact on how Americans view the sport of soccer.
“An American artist performing at the World Cup where all nations come together is pretty important. It will be something special for [Americans] and for everybody to remember.” -Ubi Martin ’21 Third Former and soccer fan Ubi Martin said,
Official video of Nicky Jam feat. Will Smith & Era Istrefi.
OFFICIAL VIDEO - YOUTUBE
Page 20
The Index - College Matriculation
June 2018
Miska Abrahams Gap Year
Chase McCollum Franklin and Marshall
Christian Arakelian Drexel University
David McKay Colgate University
David Aspinall Holy Cross
Will Merhige Amherst College
Benji Bacharach U Southern Cal.
Justin Meyer Richmond
Tommy Bagnell Penn State
Peter Miller University of Virginia
Satch Baker Dartmouth College
Mbogo Mwangi U. of Michigan
Will Baltrus Occidental College
Grady Nance Wash. U.
Matt Baumholtz University of Chicago
John Nelligan U.S. Naval Academy
Stuart Berlinger MiamiU of Ohio
Rasean Nichols Case Western
Alex Boratto Stanford University
Luke O’Grady Providence College
Matt Brennan Franklin and Marshall
Mike Pilkington Richmond
T.J. Brooks University of Virginia
Grayson Potter Texas Christian
Cal Buonocore Denison University
Kharon Randolph Holy Family University
Tyler Burt Colby Colege
Anthony Reginelli Ursinus College
Jack Burton Lafayette College
Will Rhodes U. Wisconsin-Madison
Tyler Campbell Columbia University
PJ Rodden Fordham University
Tim Carlson Dickinson College
Tyler Roland Villanova University
Robbie Chen Brandeis University
Grey Rumain West Chester
Alex Ciardi Dickinson College
Ryan Sanfilippo Indiana University
Mike Clymer Roger Williams
Tim Scheuritzel Princeton University
John Comai St. Andrews
Mike Schlarbum Wash. U.
Charlie Cordisco U.C. Boulder
Myles Scott Hartford College
Jack Costello Dartmouth College
Xavi Segel Williams College
Spencer Davis Franklin and Marshall
Nasir Smith Howard University
Gabe Deane Temple University
Gee Smith Clemson University
Scott Deck Notre Dame
Robb Soslow U. of Pennsylvania
Jack Denious Washington and Lee
Jackson Spahr Clemson University
Tucker Desperito Drexel University
Ben Stallworth University of Chicago
Joe D’Ignazio Penn State
Grant Sterman Brown University
Xavier Dorn University of Colorado
Bobby Stratts Skidmore College
Luke Egan Vanderbilt University Patrick Farley Wash. U. Andrew Farmer Texas Christian Harrison Fellheimer U. of Pennsylvania Michael Feng Lafayette College Emilio Fink Temple University Myles Ford Hampton University Troy Gibbs-Brown New York University Bobby Gibson Hobart Julius Golz University of Richmond Niklas Golz Connecticut College Parker Gravina Wake Forest University
Nico Tellez Stanford University Mark Gregory Ithaca College
James Ives Wake Forest University
Graham Haabestad Wake Forest University
Liam James Temple University
Derrick Hampton La Salle University
Ed King U.S. Military Academy
Jonathan Hanson U. of Pennsylvania
Matt LaRocca Wake Forest University
Cameron Hanssens Villanova University
Sam Lindner U. of Pennsylvania
Eusha Hasan U. of Pennsylvania
Lamont Lucas Drexel University
Will Henderson University of Virginia
TJ Malone Penn State
Payton Hollway U. of Pennsylvania
Robert Manganaro Franklin and Marshall
Nick Holtz University of S. Carolina
Aidan Mantelmacher Lehigh University
Colin Hurlbrink Lafayette College
Zach Mattiola U. of Michigan
Matt Tucker U. of Pennsylvania Wharton Samuel Turner Yale University Gaspard Vadot McGill University Kyle Wagner Carnegie Mellon University John Walsh University of Richmond Ben Warden Trinity College Isaiah Winikur Towson University Will Yoh Duke University Frank Zepka Susquehanna University