The Index
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since 1888
Ευταξια Σωζειν Δοκει June
Volume LXXXVI, No. 9
Haverford, Pennsylvania
2019
Farewell, Class of 2019 SEBASTIAN BILASH ’20
Sixth Form fans and their underclassmen friends cheer on EA Day, November 9, 2019 Neetish Sharma ’19
I
look at the man in the mirror. The man in the arena. Who loves unconditionally without fear. Who won’t back down, no matter how bleak the circumstances. Who lives with honor. I see myself, but more importantly, I see Haverford. I see the Class of 2019. We stand together — not as boys anymore, but as men. The Class of 2019 has left its legacy, from the lower school multipurpose room to the basement of Crosman Hall to the corridors of Wilson Hall. Our class is unique. We’ve distanced ourselves from outlandish senior pranks or a grade-wide senior week. In our uniqueness, the Class of 2019 is a pivot point in Haverford’s history. This year, we pushed the envelope for the entire school by delving deep into Haverford’s racial tensions, sparked by incidents of explicit racism but also a climate of closet racism, all too commonly brushed
aside by most. But the Class of 2019 said no. Through activism, determination, and a sense of equity, we pushed Haverford to do more. We have begun the much-needed conversations about how we can make the word “brotherhood” ring truer in the ears of each and every Ford, regardless of race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, or ability. We have set the groundwork for even more progress. Let’s not forget our achievements. This year, we snatched back The Sweater from Episcopal’s cold blue-and-white dungeon back to its warm maroon-and-gold home. Our Sixth Form class reclaimed EA Day with a 4-1 win. Our basketball team was the best it has ever been. With an undefeated 28-game win streak, the Fords took both the Inter-Ac and the State Championship title. In a historic finals match, the team triumphed over The Westtown School in overtime, finishing 6762 with Sixth Formers Christian Ray and
Jameer Nelson, Jr., each contributing seventeen points for the Fords. After all the smoke cleared, an unprecedented 28-0. The first undefeated basketball team in school history. The Sixth Form took the helm in Vex Robotics, with 169A making a name for The Cavalry. Made up of Will Vauclain, Scott Shaw, and Will Clark, our Sixth Formers made 169A third in the world. In the spring, the Notables knocked it out of the park at their Inter-Ac competition. David Hurly sang a mashup of Ed Sheeran’s “Love Yourself ” and Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” Luke Follman performed Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and David Pomeroy, Christian Sarian, Mickey Fairorth, Will Vauclain, and Sam Gavula supplied the stage antics that make the Notables who they are. Tennis made its mark yet again, captained by Sixth Formers Nikhil Chakraborty and Thomas Ward, as they brought home a tenth Inter-Ac title. Our musical Sweeney Todd
made a stand, as the Class of 2019 brought home six awards from The Philadelphia Independence Awards, with Best Actor going to David Hurly. Mickey Fairorth devoted himself to his Catholic faith, as he prepares to become a priest at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. We also boasted nine National Merit semifinalists. And all the while, Jake Weinstein toiled away in his little basement art room, producing some of the most magnificent visual art that plasters the school’s walls, all from his fingertips and a pencil. What about the senior prank? Where did that go? Yeah, we skipped it. And we weren’t afraid to break tradition for the better, easing the burden on the janitorial staff that works so hard to keep our school clean. Instead, Haverford became home to its first student-run wing eating competition next to our Walk of Virtues, with ex-student George cont. pg. 9
Poet, teacher, Haverford legend Mrs. Kasmen retires, leaving an organized upper school and warmer hearts Dr. Ehrhart Vincent Scauzzo ’20
S
Vincent Scauzzo ’20
ince 2001, Dr. William D. Ehrhart has inspired young men through his articulate, poetic phrasing and personal stories. He is an artist, a coach, a historian, and a friend to many. Dr. Ehrhart came to Haverford in 2001 as an English teacher, but before that, he had worked with some future Haverford faculty. At West Point, he taught English for a short time with eighth headmaster Dr. Joe Cox. Primarily, though, he was a self-employed writer, making “very little money” while his wife paid for most of their expenses. This all makes his employment at Haverford unique. Dr. Ehrhart said, “I’ve had this job six times longer than any other job I’ve ever had in my life. I have a long history of not doing jobs
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I’m not enjoying.” His job allowed him to share his poetry with his students. One of his favorite memories comes from a Poetry Club reading. In 2011, Dr. Ehrhart was supposed to recite his poetry with a friend at the Milkboy Cafe in Bryn Mawr, but his friend could not attend for health reasons. Dr. Ehrhart invited the school’s Poetry Club, managed by English teacher Mr. Dan Keefe, to the café. He said they packed the house and everyone enjoyed it. The times he spends with the kids are his favorites, he says, and he will miss the boys the most out of everything at Haverford.
eloved by many, Mrs. Adele Kasmen keeps the peace in the Haverford School, and after seventeen years of work in the Upper School office, she is retiring. Throughout her time here, she made many friends with the students and the staff. Mrs. Kasmen’s job title does little to describe her total impact on the school. “Assistant to the Head of Upper School” is her official job title, but her friendliness and high standards give hope to the students and faculty; she is an example of what it means to be a genuine, kind person. From her office outside the most traversed area in the Upper School, she watches with interest all that
cont. pg. 8
cont. pg. 9
Scott Shaw’s “Logo Abstraction”
SCOTT SHAW ’19
Kevin Thomas jumping at the Kellerman Invitational
Mrs. Adele Kasmen
DR. MIKE NANCE
INDEX STAFF