Issuu

the index The student voice since 1888

The Haverford School · Haverford, PA 19041 · June 2020 · Volume 87, No. 7 · thsindex.org

United as brothers: the class of 2020

COMMUNICATIONS

The Class of 2020 on opening day during the National Anthem Toby Ma ’20

ooking back, senior year seems like a succession of lasts. The last class. The last game. The last EA Day. The last Noodle Bowl. To me, four years passed in an instant, yet it feels so long ago that I was a Third Former in the Field House on opening day, watching the seniors lead the kindergarteners. I had no idea what

lay ahead. This year, when it became our responsibility as the oldest Fords to lead the youngest—it seems like a lifetime ago. Now everything is behind us, and next fall we head our separate ways. We’ll begin our own lives, start our own families, make new memories and new friends. But we’ll always recall those numbered days we spent in

Wilson Hall, when we were all together, and we accomplished great things. Water polo had an undefeated season and became Eastern Prep Champion, the first time in program history; our squash team placed third at Nationals and were Inter-Ac champions; Theater put on successful productions of The Three Musketeers and

Carousel; the Robotics team won its tenth consecutive state championship, and more awards than I could count. We had six National Merit Semifinalists, and thirty-three students will continue their athletic careers in college. Our Honor Council opened up con’t on p. 4

Mr. Andrén follows his dreams Ryan Rodack ’22

any will remember Upper School Head Mr. Patrick Andrén for his comforting, humorous personality, others for his calm, understated leadership, and some for his extensive knowledge and passion for history. Effective next school year, Mr. Andrén will embark on a new journey as the Assistant Head of School at Brunswick in Connecticut. “Brunswick is a really important place to me,” Mr. Andren said. “I went to the school, I was a lifer there, and it was really con’t on p. 6

Mr. Kan, p. 8

COMMUNICATIONS

Mr. Patrick Andren at 2018–2019 Commencement

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

Collegiate athletes, p. 12

COMMUNICATIONS

Ms. Montgomery, p. 5

MS. DAWN BLAKE

Fall coaches, p. 14

OBAIDA ELAMIN ’20

the index · editorial

Page 2

the index 2020–2021 Staff Agustin Aliaga ’21 Editor-in-Chief Matthew Schwartz ’21 Editor-in-Chief Tyler Zimmer ’21 Editor-in-Chief Mitav Nayak ’22 Managing Editor Ryan Rodack ’22 Managing Editor Jeffrey Yang ’22 Managing Editor Austin Zhuang ’22 Design Editor Campus Opinions Editor Quinn Luong ’22 News Editor Joey Kauffman ’23 Features Editor Jingyuan Chen ’23 Academics Editor Connor Pinsk ’23 Neighborhood Editor Michael Tallarida ’21 Off-Campus Opinions Editor Jake LaRocca ’22 Sports Editor Kethan Srinivasan ’21 Arts Editor Ms. Emily Harnett Faculty Advisor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh Faculty Advisor

June 2020

editorial Passing the torch

e’re tired of hearing how “this” got cancelled, “that” got ruined, life got turned upside down. It sickens us that the topic of every conversation, news broadcast, and Google Meet is why we would be better off if life was normal. Likewise, if it pains us to hear the pity and despair of people mentioning the Sixth Form, we can’t begin to imagine how they feel. Save the pity. Save the thoughts of what could have been. Save it all, as commiserating for two months is more than enough. Sixth Formers, your dedication to unifying us often goes unnoticed. In a time of heightened racism and rebuilt barriers, you did not let it enter our sacred walls. That fist bump you gave an underclassman made his day, we promise you. The decisions you make are followed, nearly imitated, by all of us. We look up to your drive and energy. You always have something going on and inspire the rest of us to get back on our horse. We hope you’re proud that you will be remembered by that confident stride down the hall that motivated us to do the same. You’ve accomplished so much there’s no point in starting to mention them all. More importantly, the mark you made reaches far beyond what you have done for yourselves. Personally, we wanted to sleep in, slack off, and be lazy, but the two seniors in our advisory made sure that did not happen. They genuinely cared about our well being and motivated us to pass it on, something the Fifth Form will do next year. These seniors could have hung up the cleats. They

made it; they’re done. But these boys, representative of this entire grade, dragged us through before kicking their feet up. When we are invited back to the Haverford campus in the fall, we must pick up where they left off, and that must start this summer. Don’t just try to fill the hours of the day. Fill them with something you are proud of.

When you are proud, others feed off that energy and feel inspired to do the same. After two summer’s worth of break time with about half summer’s worth of freedom, return with a story to tell. Stay in touch with each other so when this long awaited return comes, and it will, we are not strangers but brothers returning from an extended long weekend.

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

The 2020–21 Editorial Board (clockwise from top left): Editor-in-Chief Agustin Aliaga ’21, Editor-in-Chief Matthew Schwartz ’21, Editor-in-Chief Tyler Zimmer ’21, Managing Editor Jeﬀrey Yang ’22, Managing Editor Ryan Rodack ’22, Managing Editor Mitav Nayak ’22

Letter from the student body president Vincent Scauzzo ’20

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. 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 using the applications of Google Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud. Its surveys are conducted via Google Forms and are advertised on email 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 1152 community members, consisting of 952 students and 200 faculty and staff members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index Volume 87, No. 7 - June 5, 2020

o The Index editorial board,

You have graciously provided me this place here to speak to the student body every month, and every month I am happy to receive credit for my contributions. However, for this issue, the final for the Class of 2020 and indeed the final in which my name will be printed as a writer, I would like not to write for The Index, but rather to it. I would like to thank The Index for allowing me to be a part of its renowned group of writers and editors for the past four years. I believe it is the most valuable student-run organization on campus, and that includes the student government. The Index allows every student the opportunity to learn what it means to write real news: the difference between a rant and an analysis, between a criticism and a solution. It allows students to explore their interests and get in front of the real adults in the real world who inspire them. It has allowed me to introduce myself to so many people and to learn so much about my community at Haverford and beyond. I can say I have both befriended faculty here and professionals in the journalism world because of The Index. It would not be possible to contribute month after month to this true expression of the student without the work of the head editors, whom I also happily call my friends. Sure, we members of The Index have certainly dealt with a lot of drama of the years, but that just shows how committed the paper is to being real and not being afraid to push the envelope, even if it ultimately comes at the

JAMES WANG ’21

Student Body President Vincent Scauzzo ’20 cost of school-wide criticism. reaches into the community, the only direcThis program has done so much for me tion for the Index now is up. to nurture a love of journalism, and I know Godspeed, Index, and may the voice of having seen how much the paper has grown your student journalist be forever read and over my years and how much further it valued within these walls.

the index · news

Page 3

June 2020

news Behind the scenes of commencement

MR. JORDAN HAYMAN

The stage in Centennial Hall for Commencement this year

Austin Zhuang ’22

s the spring semester comes to a close, the class of 2020 prepares for the start of life beyond

Haverford. Normally, Sixth Formers and their friends and family gather in the Field House in early June to celebrate Commencement, but the pandemic has made large gatherings impossible. This year, the school has continued the tradition in an unorthodox way. Over the past few weeks, Sixth Formers have been traveling to Centennial Hall with two guests, usually parents, for an individual ceremony lasting thirty minutes. Sixth Former Aditya Sardesai described his arrival at the campus. “You pull into the lower school entrance, public safety tells you where to park, you get your temperature checked, and then you walk into Centennial,” Sardesai said. Once inside, the students receive their blazers before walking through a faculty gauntlet. “Usually at graduation, all the teachers are standing on either side of you and forming an aisle for you to walk down,” Sardesai said. “In this case, it wasn’t the faculty in-person but their pictures, which I found pretty cool.” Next, each Sixth Former is directed through the procedures. “Dr. Nagl walks you through how things are going to go,” Sardesai said. “You walk across the stage, get your diploma, hug your parents, and then [the photographers] take some pictures before you go backstage to pick up a goodie bag. Then, you go back out to your car and leave.” Despite the changes in procedures, Sixth Formers still felt a sense of closure from the ceremony. “It felt very final,” Sixth Former Kwaku Abdubofour said. “I’m satisfied with my ending. I feel like if I didn’t have anything [at the end], I would feel cheated of some conclusion of my high school experience. With this [ceremony], I feel good.” In order to continue Commencement this year and offer the Sixth Formers a formal ending to their school careers, a small group of people worked behind the scenes to coordinate the event. Director of Advancement Services Mrs.

Disty Lengel, who works in Palmer House, was one of these individuals. “Two of the senior-class parents went in to decorate Centennial for the graduation ceremony, and it took them around seven hours. They were carting in flowers, carting in pictures [of the faculty], and setting things up,” Mrs. Lengel said. Another time-consuming endeavor was giving gifts to the families of the Sixth Formers.

“For some of them I cried. I’ve been at Haverford for over twenty years, so I know a lot of the families. MRS. DISTY LENGEL

“Because the mothers were not recognized at the [graduation] luncheon, we are delivering a gift bag to their homes,” Mrs. Lengel said. “Also, because not everything is in yet [for the students], there is going to be another drop-off of gift bags. And that’s actually a huge undertaking because the seniors come from countless zip codes. There are 113 of them, and it seems like nobody lives in the same town.” Ensuring the safety of everyone present also required much planning and work. “It was a lot of logistics,” Upper School Head Mr. Patrick Andrén said. “Families had to walk in a specific way down a specific path, as well as do all those things that are the realities of COVID-19 dictated events now.” Mrs. Lengel elaborated on the regulations and the individuals behind them. “Sodexo has been huge. They’re the ones that set up the safety protocols and ensured there were never more than ten people in Centennial at the same time. They had security make sure there were only three people in the cars, and they checked to make sure everyone was masked and gloved before they came in,” Mrs. Lengel said. Another major contributor to Com-

mencement this year was Mr. Jordan Hayman, the owner of the production company Motto Films. His crew helped film each Sixth Former walk onstage and receive their diploma; later, he will use the footage to create a cohesive video with every student’s ceremony. Before filming started, Mr. Hayman was apprehensive. “The whole thing felt weird. I hadn’t left my house in two months, and all of a sudden I was going to go into a place, be doing my work the way I usually do it, be interacting with people somewhat like I used to, and it was all very strange,” Mr. Hayman said. As time went on, however, Mr. Hayman began enjoying the experience. “On the day, it was actually exciting and interesting because I was seeing my crew for the first time in two months, Dr. Nagl, who I’m close with, talking to the families as they came in. It all felt good,” he said. Emotions were strong among the administrators and faculty who planned and participated in the ceremonies. Headmaster Dr. John Nagl oversaw the logistics and was the announcer for the event. “I would announce ‘Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Linda Jones to their son, John Smith-Jones.’ And that was the kid’s cue, the first word I said. He would walk over to his mom who gave him his diploma, then he would hug his mom and dad. It was beautiful. It was a joy to see,” Dr. Nagl said. Mrs. Lengel, who handed out gift bags,

also felt sentimental watching. “For some of them, I cried. I’ve been at Haverford for over twenty years, so I know a lot of the families. It was just really nice. People got one-on-one time with Dr. Nagl and with their families, which was all great for them,” Mrs. Lengel said. “It really went without a hitch,” Mr. Hayman said. “Families were early or on time, they came in, they did what they needed to do, they respected the rules that were in place, and they left. It was exactly what we were hoping for.” “The filming portion went incredibly smoothly,” Mrs. Lengel said. “I think people were very happy. There were some small issues, but otherwise, things went smoothly, and everybody at the end was gracious.” With this year’s Commencement’s positive atmosphere and overall success, those involved felt it achieved its goal despite the restrictions. “The truth is that it’s not the magic of a thousand people together in the Field House on a beautiful June afternoon. It just isn’t,” Dr. Nagl said. “But given that I couldn’t be, we feel like this was the best way we could respect the traditions of the school, give every kid the experience of walking, and even allow the parents to give the diploma to the student.” “We might as well embrace this [situation], and make the most of it,” Mr. Hayman said. “We wanted to bring another experience, and the administration did a great job doing so.”

Mrs. Disty Lengel talking about the plans behind Commencement

AUSTIN ZHUANG ’22

the index · news

Page 4

June 2020

Class of 2020, continued from the front page to students in Town Hall meetings, Form competitions invigorated our assemblies, and we reveled in President Vincent Scauzzo’s fiery rhetoric. Not to mention our individual accomplishments made in the classroom, the art studios, the lab, and on the playing field. There were days when we felt invincible. November 2, 2019, Haverford at Malvern. The victorious Fords charged onto Quigley Field in all our costumed glory, planting our maroon and gold H on enemy territory. A victory helped in no small part by our chants and the well-meaning jeers lobbed at the opposing team. Then came EA Spirit Week: the trivia tournament and the athletic contests, pep rallies and banner-painting. We stood and cheered as our finest lobbed cannonades of dodgeballs towards underclassmen and faculty. We cheered in Centennial Hall as Bobby Blewett scarfed down an entire plate of hot wings. Then, we brought the inferno to EA. No matter what they did, they couldn’t contain our enthusiasm. Our energy overflowed onto the football and soccer fields, the golf courses, the cross-country track, and threatened to bring the roof of Burke Natatorium crashing down. And there were nights when the Field House shook with a stampede of hundreds of Haverford souls, the bleachers a sea of rippling yellow-gold #2Strong shirts, the echoes of a thousand chants reverberating off the walls. A player shoots from behind the threepoint line, and the crowd goes silent as the ball turns in the air, only to erupt when it drifts into the basket. A wise man once said, “While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing.” If so, then Haverford is a place where we truly blessed; not only are we supported by friends, but by brothers. Our class’s strength comes not from our individual ability, but from the strength of our brotherhood. There are many snapshots of Haverford that will make me smile, thirty years from now, when I recollect my younger years. Kwaku’s announcements that capped every assembly. Chess matches in the library. The Robotics World Championship, where our determination (and our sleep schedules) was put to the test. Watching plays with the boys. Waiting in the lunch line for Blackjack Chicken, which stretches all the way to the salad bar. I’ll miss the late-night grinds and flex

COMMUNICATIONS

The Class of 2020 cheer on water polo at EA Day on November 7, 2019 period study sessions, Mr. Maley’s lectures, spicy mayo vs. barbecue ranch, the Tank, the Notables—I could go on and on. But looking back, there is so much more I wish I experienced, memories that I wish I had made. If I was only aware how precious my time here would be, I would have made the most of it. In the past four years, much has changed while we’ve wandered these halls. A great generation of educators left their mark on the school. We were among the last to experience Mr. Trocano’s Browns quizzes, Mr. Upton’s sarcasm, Dr. Ehrhart’s wit, and Mr. Green’s poetic prose. The Street got a makeover over winter break, and Crosman Hall, a former home for many of us, was replaced by a big, shiny new middle school. In junior year we puzzled over rotating classes and flex periods but cheered the double frees. Even COMMUNICATIONS this paper you’re reading has evolved to re- The Class of 2020 at the EA Day soccer game on November 7, 2019 flect us, the modern Ford. frustration in the system. With our Haver- sured we’re the best, because we’ve always Meanwhile, the outside world trans- ford education, I am confident that we have done what’s expected of us. We’re comfortformed faster than we could comprehend. the knowledge and ability to solve the issues able in our legacy we leave behind these halWe’re in the midst of another election season that face our nation. Haverford molded us lowed halls. There are many things we should that has proven to be as divisive as the last, into the men we are today. Now it’s our turn be proud of: our tenacity, our creativity, our and the surge of anger and protests across our to change the world. commitment to leave our school community cities in the past week following the death of We’re not a class that needs to be reas- better than we found it. George Floyd signal the American people’s

We’ll never forget these four years of happiness, sorrow, and hardship, the teachers that helped us understand the world, the experiences that shaped our lives— and our brothers, who showed us love and kindness even in our darkest hours.

Sixth Formers and kindergarteners on opening day

COMMUNICATIONS

Although in time our deeds may be forgotten, our names and accomplishments indistinguishable to the hundreds that adorn these walls, we’ll never forget these four years of happiness, sorrow, and hardship, the teachers that helped us understand the world, the experiences that shaped our lives—and our brothers, who showed us love and kindness even in our darkest hours. This memory of Haverford will shine eternally in the hearts of us one hundred and thirteen.

the index · features

Page 5

June 2020

features Farewell to Ms. Montgomery, the school’s institutional memory

Ms. Candy Montgomery receiving the Staﬀ Recognition Award in 2013, presented by The Haverford School’s eighth headmaster Dr. Joseph Cox

MS. DAWN BLAKE

Jeffrey Yang ’22

alking by the headmaster’s office, one cannot help but notice the woman sitting behind the desk, dressed fashionably, offering candy with a warm smile. For the past thirty-five years, Assistant to the Headmaster and Secretary of the Board of Trustees Ms. Candy Montgomery has been directing behind the scenes of the administration. She has not always sat behind the desk where she sits now. Starting in 1985, during the tenure of the fifth headmaster, Davis R. Parker (1966–1987), Ms. Montgomery joined the Haverford community in the admissions office. “And then when Mr. [Bo] Dixon came, I moved from the admissions office to the headmaster’s office,” Ms. Montgomery said. “So I was with Mr. Dixon, then Dr. Healey, Dr. Cox, and now Dr. Nagl.” In the office, Ms. Montgomery has been in charge of an endless list of tasks. First, she welcomes people who are meeting with Dr. John Nagl, the current and ninth headmaster, or Mr. Thorburn, the assistant headmaster. Dr. Nagl said, “She is stuck in there with Mr. Thorburn and with me, and her job is to provide a human face when people come to see [us]. They’re often nervous or anxious parents, and she puts them at their ease and makes them feel comfortable.” Aside from greeting visitors, Ms. Montgomery manages the headmaster’s loaded schedule. She coordinates meetings, records notes, and keeps the headmaster on track. “She makes sure I am where I’m supposed to be when I'm supposed to be there, manages my calendar, makes sure I get the work done that I’m supposed to do, reminds me of my deadlines, and coordinates the meetings of the leadership team of the school,” Dr. Nagl said. Ms. Montgomery’s accumulation of knowledge over her career means she knows

how to deal with any circumstance. Ms. Kathy Stevenson, a published essayist and wife of Dr. Joseph Cox, the former and eighth headmaster, reflected on Ms. Montgomery’s knack for her job. “She’s had a lot [of headmasters to serve], and she has the institutional memory of the school. In her position, she sees everybody from faculty to students to teachers.” Dr. Cox added that her institutional memory also allows her to see behind any sort of disorder. Ms. Montgomery knows when things are out of place.

“. . . she [would] raise her eyebrows and you knew that there was something else going on. She understood.” DR. JOSEPH COX “She might come in, and she might have made an appointment with somebody, and then she [would] raise her eyebrows and you knew that there was something else going on. She understood,” Dr. Cox said. “You know, some people are very ‘people smart,’ and I think that Candy is very people smart. She knew when people were doing things that they shouldn’t be doing, and she would keep them on track. She would help with, you know, maybe putting certain problems in context too.” The past headmasters have trusted Ms. Montgomery’s insight and good sense. To Dr. Cox and others, she was a valuable advisor. “She was a full member of the administrative team. She was pretty much an equal partner and respected by everybody and trusted by everybody. That’s probably the

most important thing: the trust that she would want to do the right thing and then be very discreet,” Dr. Cox said. In addition to her presence in the headmaster’s office, Ms. Montgomery also serves as the secretary to the Board of Trustees, a group of 29 trustees and the headmaster, that makes the strategic decisions for the school. “She is the connective tissue between the school and the Board, and the Board has a bunch of committees that meet, and she schedules all their meetings,” Dr. Nagl said. Despite the heavy daily workload and the stress that comes with the importance of her work and schedule, Ms. Montgomery has still looked forward to her job every day for the past thirty-five years. The engagement she receives in the community from both faculty and students sustains her passion for the job. “I like it because, for the most part, it’s a happy place to be,” Ms. Montgomery said. “At the same time, it's nice when the days are over and the weekend comes. But [what keeps me going is] people when they’re walking in the halls or outside, for the most part, they look at you and say hello. A lot of people don’t have that if they go to an office or if they go on public transportation. People don’t catch each other’s eye and say ‘good morning’ or ‘have a nice day.’” The reason Ms. Montgomery is always smiling, Ms. Stevenson noted, lies in her sense of humor. “The thing I always loved about Candy is that she's really funny. I mean we could find a way to laugh about anything, and we had so many crazy things happen during our tenure that we just had to sometimes just laugh. She’s really good at that,” Ms. Stevenson said. “Even though it seemed like chaos around us, she never seemed to let that show.” Even during the 2011 earthquake that rocked the Philadelphia area, Ms. Montgom-

ery was able to find humor in the situation. “We were in the new building, and Candy was really indignant, and she said, ‘What are you doing in there?’ She thought I was dancing around my office and making everything shake,” Dr. Cox said. “She thought I was causing the earthquake.” Another reason why Ms. Montgomery is such a good companion is her aptitude for organization and planning. After decades of arranging the busiest schedules, she is able to take on any range of projects. Most important is Ms. Montgomery’s composure throughout it all. Ms. Stevenson said, “She’s always balancing a lot of different people who need things like right then, and she never seems flustered. I mean we had so many events at the headmaster’s house when we were there—over a fifteen-year period we had probably hundreds of events at our home— and she was my go-to person to get the graduation ceremony, all the dinners we have with alumni, alumni weekend at our house, just everything that happened at our home, she and I organized. Everything flowed from me and her working together. So she was instrumental in all that.” Her combination of lightheartedness with incredible attentiveness in her work is most valued by the headmasters she has served. “She is a wonderful combination of professional and happy, and it's hard to find someone who can do both of those things. She’s very very good at what she does,” Dr. Nagl said. Whether engaging with students, faculty, or visitors, Ms. Montgomery maintains a welcoming, caring, and gracious demeanor. “She’s very kind,” Dr. Cox said. “She always thought about other people, and it was important for you to be thinking con’t on p. 6

the index · features

Page 6

June 2020

Mr. Andrén, continued from the front page the place that, because of the relationships I had with my teachers and because of the experience I had there, it really shaped who I am.” Even though this job offer hits close to home for Mr. Andrén, it was still an uneasy decision to walk away from Haverford. “I wasn’t planning on looking for [other jobs]. It wasn’t anything about the Haverford community that made me want to look elsewhere,” Mr. Andén said. “In fact, I planned to put some roots down here and stay awhile…When I got the job offer at Brunswick, it took a couple of sleepless nights for me to make the decision, because it was not an easy one.” One of the unique aspects of being the head of the upper school is that Mr. Andrén had the opportunity to work with every faculty member and form meaningful friendships. “All of the faculty are so easy to work with because they are passionate, they love this place, and they love you guys [the students]. If I have half the amount of wonderful colleagues at Brunswick that I had at Haverford, then I will consider myself lucky,” Mr. Andrén said. One of those colleagues who worked

closely with Mr. Andrén was Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer. “He’s a seasoned educator; he has such a clear appreciation from boys’ education, and an understanding and love of teaching boys that really shines through every day,” Mr. Fifer said. “I’ll never forget his joy of being with students and seeing students develop as young men, and taking joy in the small interactions.” Mr. Fifer will take over as acting Head of Upper School effective July 1, and he hopes he can use the qualities he learned from Mr. Andrén to succeed in the position.

“He is just about the steadiest, most calm, most even-keeled educators that I’ve been around.” MR. MARK FIFER “He is just about the steadiest, most calm, most even-keeled educators that I’ve been around, and that’s a clear asset when you’re in a position of leadership,” Mr. Fifer

said. “That’s something that I will certainly take from Mr. Andrén.” In addition to his role as Upper School Head, Mr. Andrén taught a Modern World History class. Although only a handful of students worked with Mr. Andrén, his impact as a teacher was evident. “Mr. Andrén was not only a great presence in class, but was also a wealth of knowledge on all things history,” Fourth Former Sam Kohl said. “I’ll miss having class with him and seeing him around school.” Some of Mr. Andrén’s qualities that were most evident in the classroom included his charismatic and caring personality. “Mr. Andrén is a great person and teacher,” Fourth Former Austin Zhuang said. “He always asked how the class was doing before we started and made sure he heard from everyone. Each class was always insightful, and he wanted all his students to participate and grow as historians. I found myself enjoying a subject I am normally not fond of and learning something new every day.” Fourth Former Jake LaRocca said, “Every time Mr. Andrén logged into virtual class, he would check in on everyone in the class individually. You could really tell that he cared about every single one of us. If I

ever needed anything, Mr. Andrén was the first person I would go to.” Now that the time comes for Mr. Andrén to move on, there are many aspects of Haverford’s community that he hopes to take with him to Brunswick. “I will never forget the Reflection program. That’s been one of the neatest things for me is both the speakers we have brought in but more so when faculty or one of the boys spoke and just shared something that was really important to them,” Mr. Andrén said. “In terms of every day, I’m going to miss the interactions in the halls, and all of the fun and energy that was in the halls. That’s really what made my day every day.” Although Mr. Andrén cannot go out in an ideal way due to the circumstances, he made sure to leave some parting words for the student body. “Continue to stay true to yourselves and the values that make this school such a great place, which is loving one another and always having each other’s backs,” Mr. Andrén said. “You guys as a community really live that virtue of trying to make each other better, so I’d say to stay true to that, because that’s something really special about this place.”

so comprehensive.” Another aspect that will be lost is Ms. Montgomery’s unique mixture of profound dedication to the school, care for the students, and a jubilant attitude.

anniversary of the school—so that was about twelve years ago. We were all down on the field and we, out of human beings made the "H." I was holding my grandson that’s going into ninth grade now. I was holding him because he was in the childcare center right in the front row of that picture. That was a fun memory,” Ms. Montgomery said. After her retirement, she plans to spend some time traveling and relaxing at home. “I like to travel. We’ve done some Riverboat Cruises, and I have a couple more on the list,” she said. With her time at home, Ms. Montgomery is excited to be able to greet the fox that visits her house each morning. “We have beautiful woods in the backyard and a fox that runs by every morning. So I’ll be able to see him running by. At least in this nice weather. I’ll be out on the back porch eating breakfast, and he’ll come to say good morning,” Ms. Montgomery said. She will also spend time with her grandchildren and family on the beach. Dr. Cox said, “She has her grandchildren and so on and a larger family that has ties to the Jersey Shore and they spend a lot of time together as a family enjoying the Jersey Shore.” Nevertheless, she will miss coming to school each day and being constantly greeted. Still, Ms. Montgomery plans to return to campus often because of her ties to the community. “You know because I have so much connection, I feel that I will be back on campus often,” Ms. Montgomery said. “We go to many of the games and plays and with a grandson going into ninth grade they’re probably other activities that I will still be going to. I’ll miss the daily routine of seeing everyone, but I think I'll be on campus enough that people finally will say, ‘Didn't you retire?’” Ms. Montgomery will not completely move away from planning events, however, as she has become the secretary of her home community. Dr. Nagl said, “She moved to a new place two years ago and she became the social secretary in that community. She lives in it, so she sets up all the social events for them, and she loves that.” In the end, Ms. Montgomery wants to leave the school community with one thing. “I hope that I leave a lasting memory of a smile.”

Ms. Montgomery, continued from page 5 that way. She always tried to help. She always was there too to try to make things as good as they could possibly be… to make the school as good as it could be.” Ms. Montgomery’s commitment to the school is clearly evident after serving more than half of the headmasters. She has spent the vast majority of her career at Haverford, guiding headmasters and helping the Board of Trustees. Dr. Cox said, “[Her dedication is] complete. She obviously had to suffer through several headmasters, and she was always there and always ready and a little bit like the duck and on water, you know, paddling very fast underwater, not letting people see all the stress and work that she did to make things go smoothly.” Her love for the community has encouraged her to return to Haverford each year. “The boys and the community that Haverford houses are so nice,” Ms. Montgomery said. Five headmasters later, she decided that this year was going to be the last. Dr. Nagl recalled what Ms. Montgomery told him when he first joined. “She had said really since she met me that she had at that point broken in several heads of school, and she said that I was going to be the last one. She was going to teach me

Ms. Montgomery in an interview

my job and then she was going to stop working so hard,” Dr. Nagl said. Earlier this year, Dr. Nagl found out that this was going to be her last year. “I think it was after a board meeting— setting up board meetings is really hard and getting all the reports in and all that sort of stuff—it was after a board meeting that she said, ‘You know, this is becoming less fun. I think this is it.’ And so, when she decided it was time, it was time, right?” Dr. Nagl said. With Ms. Montgomery’s retirement, the school is losing thirty-five years of institutional memory. Building up the talent for the roles she played and her knowledge of administering the school is not something one can just pick up. Dr. Cox said, “Well, we’re losing a chunk of history, both all that she knew and things that she did that she probably didn’t even realize that she was doing. Somebody else is going to have to learn that from scratch. And, she had a really good perspective [from her 35 years that] covers a lot of things that have changed a lot in that time, and she would give good advice and she could know what worked and what didn’t work before we even tried it. It’s just going to be impossible to replace that because that’s one person's institutional memory that’s so important and

JEFFREY YANG ’22

“She is the soul of the headmaster’s office.” DR. JOHN NAGL “She is the soul of the headmaster's office,” Dr. Nagl said. “It is hard to imagine that office without Candy Montgomery in it. She’s taken care of five of the school's headmasters, and they loved her. All the living Headmasters were coming back to [what would have been] the farewell dinner. It will be hard to find somebody who has the same blend of love for the boys, and dedication to doing what's right, and cheerfulness and positive attitude as Candy Montgomery has had at the school for so many years. She's been absolutely delightful and we will not see her like again.” Arguably the most significant characteristic of Ms. Montgomery that we will not see in the coming years is her sense of fashion. “When I think about Candy Montgomery, she never wore the same outfit twice,” Dr. Nagl said. “Her closet must be enormous.” For Ms. Montgomery, her favorite moments each year are the opening ceremony and closing activities. “I love opening day, pulling everybody together and the gym and president of the student body welcoming everybody along with Dr. Nagl and just the excitement that’s there,” Ms. Montgomery said. “And, the end of the year is so much fun with the closings that are important in all three divisions. [The commencement this year] is a special time that was very personal for each family and each boy as they came onto the stage and Centennial Hall. So both the opening and closings.” Over the past thirty-five years, she has created endless memories that bring her joy. However, one of her favorite moments happened when the school celebrated its 125th anniversary. “One of my favorite pictures [is] where the whole school was wearing maroon and gold and it was the hundred and twenty-fifth

Page 7

the index · features

June 2020

Ms. Wortham follows new career path Tyler Zimmer ’21

f you were walking in the halls and were greeted by a kind smile and subtle wave, it was probably Ms. Rachel Wortham. In just two years at Haverford, she has brought warmth and unity to the upper school.

“I felt like I hit the jackpot when I got an interview at Haverford.” MS. RACHEL WORTHAM “I came to Haverford because it is a great school in the area that I grew up in,” Ms. Wortham said. “I felt like I hit the jackpot when I got an interview at Haverford.” Despite her short tenure at the school, Ms. Wortham made the most of her time. She formed bonds with students in the English classroom and squash courts, and she helped establish a crucial faculty affinity group. “It is always wonderful to see students truly interested in the work we do in class,” Ms. Wortham said. Student participation often stems from strong planning and teaching energy, and Ms. Wortham provided just that. Especially

in a discussion-based English classroom, she made sure each class was energized and, more importantly, forming memories together. “I loved some of the goofy moments that happened in my classes, like one of my sophomore class’s inexplicable affinity for the small ceramic bird in my classroom,” she said. Ms. Wortham appreciated the little things: the friendly conversations and inside jokes with her students. Creating an inclusive and uplifting environment, Ms. Wortham was able to foster growth in each of her students and players. “As a coach, I loved seeing captain Dan Chow battle it out to five games, not just once but several times, over the course of the season, and it was great to see all of the JV players improve throughout the season.” Sixth Former Chow said, “Despite being Ms. Wortham's first year as coach, she took the helm of leading the team very well. She helped me grow as a player for sure, and we had fun along the way.” Her time here has not only benefited her students; Ms. Wortham has experienced personal growth as well. Spending time around often unpredictable young men has helped Ms. Wortham find her voice. “I have become more confident and assertive from leading a classroom these past two years,” Ms. Wortham said. “I have be-

come more decisive, something that I often struggle with.” She most certainly became more assertive, evident by her co-founding role with Ms. Taylor Smith-Kan in the Women’s Affinity Group, an important anchor in the life of a boys’ school. While Ms. Wortham has bettered both herself and the school community, her time has come, and her future differs from her current career path in an exciting way.

Ms. Rachel Wortham

“Next year I will be participating in a Jewish service program. The organization is called Avodah. While in this program, I will be working as a Community Organizer at a nonprofit organization called HIAS that helps immigrants and refugees coming to America.” While many students benefited from Ms. Wortham’s warmth and effort, she will use her experience at Haverford to help those in need, a true testament to her character.

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

Ms. Nancy Agati to focus exclusively on art projects Joey Kauffman ’23

ountless students have gone through the middle school art program and transformed themselves, finding creative ability they didn’t know they had. Ms. Nancy Agati has mentored many art students at Haverford for 19 years, but she has decided to stop teaching next year so that she can focus on creating her own art.

“I felt like if I don’t start really putting my foot in my art career, I’m going to sort of run out of time to do that.” MS. NANCY AGATI “I’ve been juggling a part-time art career with a full-time job for 19 years at Haverford,” Ms. Agati said. “I felt like if I don’t start really putting my foot in my art career, I’m going to sort of run out of time to do that.” As an artist, Ms. Agati creates a diverse range of sculptures, installations, and what she calls “works on paper,” which are “somewhere between a drawing, a painting, and print.” Although her body of work is varied, much of her art has a unifying theme of nature and how humans interact with nature. “I first started just getting interested in looking at water. But then I realized that the pattern in water relates to the way you see, for example, the grain of wood,” Ms. Agati said. “Right now, with our world in such crisis in so many ways, making art about nature or how to preserve the nature that we have, I feel, is important.” She recently finished a piece that commented on our interaction with water in the FLOW exhibition at the Independence Seaport Museum. “[The piece] was floating in the Delaware River and was made up of driftwood that I collected from the river. It was sup-

posed to look like a fingerprint. It was a big spiral,” Ms. Agati said. “The fingerprint was sort of the idea that the Delaware River has run through our area forever and people have always utilized it or lived along it and so have always interacted with that particular body of water.” Her work spreads the message of “environmentalism, ecology” and “climate change, in some sense,” yet she also believes in making art solely for the sake of making art. Not everything she makes, she said, “has that heavy of a reason to exist.” In her art class, she tries to relate her teaching to her own work, and she tries to impart an appreciation of nature to her students. “My students have all done these projects where they had to collect objects from nature and put them together in a design and take pictures and do a painting of it,” Ms. Agati said. Although students advance in skills

such as drawing, working with clay, and printmaking, Ms. Agati tries to teach her students more than just artistic skills. “The big picture things are independent thinking and problem solving and making decisions on your own,” Ms. Agati said. “The actual process of making artwork is a problem-solving technique. You have all these materials in front of you and you have to figure it out.” As for what she’ll miss the most about teaching, she said she’ll miss “working in the classroom and being engaged in students” the most, which has all but disappeared recently because of the pandemic and the need for social distancing. She also said she’ll miss her co-workers, especially Mr. Pankratz, who has worked with her to teach middle school art for more than ten years. Although Ms. Agati will not teach next year, she will undoubtedly remain a member of the school community. “I don’t want people to think I just dis-

Ms. Nancy Agati helping students with their texture rubbings

appeared,” Ms. Agati said. “I’m hoping that we can have a real eighth-grade graduation and a real senior graduation in the fall, and I will come to both of those. And I hope to be around. I’m not going to completely go away.” As a community, Haverford will certainly miss the expertise, passion, and care that Ms. Agati brings to all facets of her work at Haverford, but the community doesn’t have to say goodbye completely. You can stay informed with the art that Ms. Agati is working on and find information about her latest works at nancyagati.com.

“Be creative. Always.” MS. NANCY AGATI As a parting piece of advice, Ms. Agati said, “Be creative. Always.”

COMMUNICATIONS

the index · features

Page 8

June 2020

Mr. Kan steps from classroom to courtroom Agustin Aliaga ’21

r. Gary Kan, an upper school Chinese teacher of seven years, will depart the school community to pursue a career in law. For the past year, Mr. Kan has been taking night classes at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law while teaching during the day. Now, Mr. Kan will study law full time. As it turns out, Mr. Kan is a talented law student and, as he explains to his students, his learning is aided by the fact that he has experience in education. He has qualified for a variety of internships both at “Big Law” firms in Philadelphia and smaller, yet more competitive, ones in New York City. Mr. Kan explained that he took an internship this summer in the latter option. “I want to know what it’s like to work in New York,” Mr. Kan said. “It’s a much bigger pool.” Mr. Kan also pointed out the value of internships. “Internships are important in law school

Mr. Gary Kan

because your second summer internship, not this summer but next summer, they are important because it can lead to your real job,” Mr. Kan said. “What gets you to your second summer internship is your first summer internship, so this one is also important.” With Mr. Kan’s devotion to teaching and to helping others, it is no surprise his internship follows the same path. “My internship is related to security. The firm helps the small people sue the big companies,” Mr. Kan said. While Mr. Kan is not yet certain of which path of law he will decide to practice, he knows where he wants to go. “I’ve come to see if you want to make a change that has momentum behind it, you must be moving to the top,” Mr. Kan said. “You can move up there knowing that you can have a much bigger impact. If not, I have seen people with noble opinions shot down because they are not important, … and that sucks… being undermined because they

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

don’t hold some big fancy title.” Mr. Kan is clear about his intention to practice law.

“I think it is very important to serve humanity.” MR. GARY KAN “I think it is very important to serve humanity,” Mr. Kan said. “That is why I was a teacher for eleven years.” Students feel that Mr. Kan has been one of the most thought-provoking teachers that they have had. Sixth Form advisee Yeshwin Sankuratri, said, “From the moment we stepped into his classroom as a curious freshman and left as prepared seniors, his class always revolved around keeping an open mind to all perspectives. We were taught to look deeper into complex patterns to find its utter simplicity and convenience, to see only the substance amidst decorations, to comprehend a ‘bad’ world view as simply a ‘view,’ and to feel Chinese through all of our knowledge rather than tackle it with a guess.” Fifth Form Chinese student and advisee Kieran Dias-Lalcaca, said, “I found it really rewarding to be able to understand the nuances from both an American and a Chinese point of view.” Fifth Form Chinese student Carter McCann said “ ,” as he is affectionately known by his students, “Always taught his class with a sense of professionalism yet with a sense of levity. He was a great teacher in terms of effectively teaching us both the

language itself as well as about Chinese culture and history from personal anecdotes or otherwise.” Students feel that Mr. Kan’s desire for factual truth and his compassion prepare him well for law. Sankuratri said, “Everyone had a voice, and it made our group comfortable with each other. No matter how you finished, once you stepped into that classroom you were a part of our family. was a very good listener and his advisory setting definitely opened me up. He never influenced me to think about something a certain way and encouraged everyone to express themselves freely.” Dias-Lalcaca said, “He gave us a point of view that was objective and clear and that showed us what the real goal of being a student at Haverford is.” Mr. Kan says he will miss taking trips during the summers, some of which were with students to China, and he will miss being able to teach kids “something right.” He jokingly added he will miss the ability “to be always right in the room.” This lesser-known comedic side of Mr. Kan will be missed by his students as well. Fifth Form Chinese Student Brian Williams said, “I think what I enjoyed about his class so much was that he could hold a serious class while still having a great sense of humor.” Sankuratri said a fitting farewell for the student body: “Till we meet again as one lawyer and a Haverford student alumnus, thank you for everything.” McCann concluded, “I don’t believe there’s anything you can’t do, .” (Thank you, Mr. Kan. We will miss you.)

Mr. Ressler: two worlds, one teacher Andrew Tornetta ’20

he beginning of a new week. It is 5:40 on a Monday morning and Mr. Gregory Ressler’s sleep has been abruptly interrupted by a set alarm clock. Immediately, he attacks the new day. He goes into a meditation/mindfulness practice in which he controls his breathing in an exercise called the “Wim Hof ” style. It brings a “calmness” to an anxiety-filled day. Without skipping a beat he begins his “minimum dosage workout,” which involves pushups, situps, and squats. “It’s supposed to be easy,” says Ressler, “too often we stop doing things because it gets a little bit too hard.” He throws on his warm-up sweats and goes for a run before driving to school. Once he arrives, he heads over to his coaching locker to retrieve his dress clothes and gets changed after a shower. By the time he grabs a coffee and gets down to his room, there are already a couple of guys in there working and ready for the school day. At that point, he rarely leaves his room. “People will see me elsewhere and ask, ‘Wow, Mr. Ressler. What are you doing on the third floor?’” he says, “Part of running a studio, a good studio practice, is to always have someone there who can help share ideas or guide you or watch, just being there for safety reasons with all the power tools.” Students may assume that his only afterschool activity is coaching ultimate frisbee. Yet this is only a small piece of the life Mr. Ressler leads after school hours. “I do something that is kind of interesting called cold therapies. During the winter and cold seasons, I do cold plunges every day with a couple of buds, and I’ve seen really great value in that.”

Even after spending a whole workday as a woodworking and 3D design teacher, Mr. Ressler considers this activity, “the most difficult thing I do all day. The cold water is really shocking and overwhelming, and everything after that seems numbed and easier.”

“At school, I’m Mr. Ressler, outside of this area my nickname is ‘Rupert.’” MR. GREGORY RESSLER But there is even more to this interesting activity. “The cold plunge after school also allows me to transition into my other life. At school, I’m Mr. Ressler, outside of this area my nickname is ‘Rupert.’” Rupert is the artistic and creative name that he uses when he is working in Philadelphia—renting out properties and working on custom construction, furniture, and design. “When I’m in Philadelphia very few people know me as Greg, and when I’m at Haverford very few people know me as Rupert.” Ressler says, “It is a very interesting dichotomy of personalities.” In an “ideal world,” Mr. Ressler’s day ends with some time by the campfire, getting hooked on an educational Netflix series, or reading an interesting book before hitting the hay. The second side of Mr. Ressler’s life is one that Haverford students cannot see. The school community would most likely MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

con’t on p. 10

Mr. Ressler, Grayson Potter ’18, and John Nelligan ’18 discuss boat-project supports on May 25, 2018

the index · academics

Page 9

June 2020

academics Students struggling with changing standardized test dates, requirements Matthew Schwartz ’21

ecause the effects of the coronavirus are widespread and long-lasting, those effects will impact many things in ways we cannot even imagine today. Caught right in the middle of this crisis is the college admissions process. With millions of students across the nation at home and unable to go out, the College Board will have to modify AP testing, the SAT, and the ACT to ensure testing before students have to submit scores to college admissions officers. On more of a time crunch than general standardized testing, the College Board held online AP exams in early May. While a small percentage of students found trouble submitting their results, the entire process demonstrated how these types of tests could be conducted online going forward, including for the SAT, which announced in April that if in-person tests are unable to be conducted in the fall, they will provide a “digital at-home SAT.” Senior Associate Director of College Counseling Ms. Karen Ley said, “For [some colleges], it’s about equity and inclusion because not every student in the world has a private room that’s quiet with connectivity to do a home-based test, and I think that might be the main reason why this isn’t an acceptable option.” In addition to concerns around accessibility to an online test, various questions have arisen regarding security and the overall necessity of the test in general, two concerns that have received increased scrutiny ever since last year’s college admissions scandal. “I think the [SAT and ACT] have been dropping in relevance anyway,” Ms. Ley said.

“[College admissions officers] said there was never one specific score or magic fast formula, and I think they’re really understanding whatever your situation is—even before COVID-19 if you weren’t able to get tutoring or get other things—so I think it’s kind of run its course and the fact that so many more [schools] are just [getting rid of SAT and ACT] for the next two to three years or forever wasn’t very surprising.” With its popularity waning in recent years, many colleges planned to drop their SAT and ACT requirements. When both exams were canceled for March and May, the two largest months in terms of students taking the exam, colleges used it to lift their application barriers by removing the demand for standardized testing. Highly selective colleges such as Williams, Amherst, and Cornell, among many others, have announced that the tests would be optional for 2021 applicants.

“No, I don’t think [students] should [take SAT subject tests this year]. I think they should use these days for their SATs.” MS. KAREN LEY Among the elite colleges, however, there are still some holdouts, as the rest of the Ivies, besides Cornell, along with other highly selective colleges on the West Coast such

MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ’21

Ms. Ley sharing her thoughts on the future of standardized testing as Stanford, have held firm in their standard- may still not be available, as extra rooms are ized testing requirements. needed for those who still need to take the Another dilemma discussed by students SAT itself. and college counselors alike is the impor“No, I don’t think [students] should tance of SAT subject tests. Most schools do [take SAT subject tests this year]. I think not require them as part of the admissions they should use these days for their SATs,” process, but they are often recommended Ms. Ley said. along with an applicant’s other scores. This Nevertheless, some students, such as leaves many students in a hard position, es- Fifth Former Matt Wang, who has already pecially if they still need to take another SAT taken the SAT and “feels great that [he] got in addition to subject tests. it done,” planned on taking a subject test in “I had already taken the Math 2 sub- May or June, but he has since decided not to ject test earlier in the year but was still plan- take the test in the fall. He explained that it ning on taking the U.S. History subject test is a huge disadvantage to have such a large and perhaps even Spanish or Chinese,” Fifth time gap between taking a course and then Former Agustin Aliaga said. “Together with taking a test on it multiple months later. taking the SAT again, this accumulated to at Whatever the case for each individual least two or three test dates, most of which student, the hope is that colleges will take a will likely be canceled. I am just hoping that holistic approach to each applicant, and just I at least get to take even one of these tests.” like everyone else, they are being affected by As reported by the College Board, even the virus as well and will take the necessary if tests are possible in the fall, subject tests steps to make the best of a rough situation.

The present and future of virtual schooling Jingyuan Chen ’23

hen the first signs of the pandemic reached our school neighborhood, no one had predicted the impact of COVID-19 to be as devastating or overwhelming as it is today. Americans witnessed one of the most calamitous tragedies of the modern era. And they weren’t ready for it. Nevertheless, life continued. School continued.

“When we were going into this, nobody knew that we were going to be doing this for two months,” English teacher Mr. Daniel Keefe said. “I specifically remember saying ‘Okay, so I’ll see you guys soon.’ That was the last thing. I didn’t even say goodbye.” Many were surprised, but as a community, the school responded swiftly. Virtual Haverford, an alternative distance learning program, provided a new solution to the

challenges of COVID-19. Still, faculty and students expressed their concerns with the virtual curriculum. “I can see my student’s face on a screen, but it’s really not the same thing,” History Department Chair Ms. Hannah Turlish said. “It’s like live theater versus watching a movie. The human aspect of teaching and learning was lost, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

A screenshot of an English IV: Page & Stage Canvas Conference on April 1, 2020

Ms. Turlish is not the only one troubled with the loss of communication in online education. Latin teacher Ms. Sara Adkins said, “It is weird talking to just little tiles of people and sometimes having the Google Meet on one part of my screen and having what I’m showing on another part, and trying to look at the little tiles of people.” While teachers are aware of the problems within virtual schooling, students also noticed the significant difference between a normal school day and a day with online classes. “Something about looking at a bunch of faces and all that movement on the screen is a lot more strenuous than just looking at a Word doc or a website,” Sixth Former Vincent Scauzzo said. Amongst different departments, the application of virtual lessons also had distinct outcomes. “English classes are essentially divided up into classroom discussions about text or novels,” Mr. Keefe said. “That can easily be replicated inside this spectrum. On top of that, I’ve had lots of students who’ve been turning things in as a Google Doc, and I give feedback on the writing. Some of the elements that go along with this seem to easily align.” Mr. Keefe prefers the traditional brick-

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

con’t on p. 15

the index · neighborhood

Page 10

June 2020

neighborhood Small business owners of the Jersey shore Connor Brala ’20

he Jersey Shore: bustling coastal towns that draw seasonal crowds from all over the Northeast. Up and down the streets of these towns are quaint shops, restaurants, and places to gather on a warm summer’s night. But what is the state of these businesses in a time where it is illegal to gather in a crowd or even stand too close to another person? For my graduation project, I hit the road and set out to collect the story of the small business owner. I met with the owners of Sundae Best and The Rock N’ Chair of Avalon, New Jer-

SUNDAEBESTAVALON.COM

Sundae Best in Avalon, New Jersey

sey. Sundae Best is an iconic family-owned ice cream shop that boasts lines out the door each night of the summer. Owner Kim Yerkes began the business twenty years ago with her father and continues to run it today with her son as her partner.

Dippso even said she had customers walk by and tell her, “That’s my barstool! I can’t wait to get back here.” Yerkes says that it is a great place on a summer night to bring your family and enjoy a song from a live performer out front. But she tells me that this summer will not be the same. Each customer must take their ice cream away: they can not allow outdoor seating, and they cannot even allow customers inside the store. This is a stark contrast from normal times when the store is packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder. “As the state of the world has changed, we have had to change our business to match,” Yerkes says. “We are beginning online ordering, and even accepting credit

cards for the first time since we opened 20 years ago.” Though people are mandated to stay at home and follow many precautions, Yerkes is optimistic. “People are actually itching to get out,” Yerkes says. This itch could be what keeps these businesses afloat as the travel season begins. Owner Gina Dippso from The Rock N’ Chair sang the same song. The Rock N’ Chair is a restaurant and bar that, much like Sundae Best, constantly boasts a heavy crowd. This summer marks their seventeenth year of business. They run seven days a week throughout the summer, and they’re open on weekends in the late fall and winter. Now, The Rock N’ Chair has been limited solely to take out options. Throughout our conversation, Dippso was heavily focused on the bar. “These holiday weekends are huge for nightlife,” Dippso says. “Without the bars open, the whole scene will change.” Dippso even said she had customers walk by and tell her, “That’s my barstool! I can’t wait to get back here.” Still, she was less than optimistic that the bars would open at all this summer for regular business. Both establishments are prepared to

The Rock n’ Chair in Avalon, New Jersey make the best of all the action they can get. They said they are promoting heavily on social media through Instagram and Facebook, but otherwise, most of their business will be drummed up by general traffic past their storefronts. The small businesses of the Jersey Shore cannot do much but wait for more direction and pray that people come to support them.

and looks forward to exploring the other half of his current life. “‘Single in his 30s running around with no plan after graduation,’ people hear that and freak out, but it’s the coolest thing in the world for me because my whole life I’ve had a plan.” He goes on to explain how he “stayed at Haverford for this year, I told myself it would be wrong to leave the senior class that I grew really close with… This is it, this is it for us and it sucks.” Even while he maintains his goofy personality, laughing at the world, he will really miss spending time with the boys, seeing “Pierre come in super early or Drew Paradis just not leaving [him] alone all day.” He will miss being that guy who was just a little bit different than most teachers.

For someone who has dedicated everything that he has ever done at Haverford for the boys, he is “a guy who works through it” and who will always keep himself busy. Just ask any of the students he has ever taught, or the seniors he had this year especially. “I have a friend with cancer, and they have said that it is weird because the whole world now knows what it’s like to have cancer. ‘Will tomorrow come?’ ‘Will we be able to wake up, hug, and kiss the ones we love without feeling this heavy anxiety and stress?’ Mr. Ressler has his own coping mechanism. “I’ve learned how to breathe, accept things that aren’t perfect, and move past it, knowing that I can’t solve it right now so why waste energy and time getting anxious.”

ROCKCHAIR.NET

Mr. Ressler, continued from page 8 say collectively that Mr. Ressler is the cool woodworking teacher on the ground floor. Maybe to some he is the teacher who facilitates games of “red-hands” in his room. Nonetheless, Mr Ressler likes, “to be community-driven outside of school, having that ‘dual personality.’” Mr. Ressler would say that growing up in the Mennonite faith environment has instilled in him “a lot of ambition,” and “a lot of work ethic.” It is clear why he would say that he has “a very addictive personality” as a person who gets a lot of satisfaction from working, adventure, and creating for others. Adventure and nature are two aspects of Mr. Ressler’s life outside of school. His house is located right on the Wissahickon, where “miles and miles of the most epic hiking and biking” are right outside his door.

“I’m an adventure junky, with his head in the clouds but his feet grounded.” MR. GREGORY RESSLER “I’m an adventure junky, with his head in the clouds but his feet grounded, that’s how my mom says it,” Mr. Ressler says. “There are people who dream really big and don’t have the ability to follow through and people who can only do what they’re told. I’ve worked really hard to maintain the balance of dreaming big and working hard.” One of his ways of maintaining the balance is to live by the message: ‘Dream big, work hard,’ which were the words printed on a banner in the gymnasium that he played in during the seventh grade basketball team tryout. After living the childhood of a youth pastor with plans of going to seminary, a flip switched in Mr. Ressler’s young life. In high

school he found art and his new life began to take off. “I went to Tyler School of Art at Temple and dropped out for a semester, and my best friend, a professional skateboarder, and I traveled to Europe together” says Ressler, “We spent time in Spain, Italy, Gmunden, Austria” (which he noted as being one of his favorite places in the world) “and The Czech Republic with no plan. We had bikes and skateboards and just enough stuff to travel.” This is the trip that brought the nickname “Rupert Gregory” to life, and it stuck even after coming home. After a successful first biking trip, a second trip occurred in the summer of 2016, when he spent a month and a half in Iceland. When he was not on his bike, traveling across the countryside, he was spending valuable time writing and admiring the views. “I spent days writing in the middle of nowhere where I didn’t see any people. It felt like Lord of the Rings, straight up,” says Mr. Ressler, “I was in the middle of this epic, beautiful, powerful landscape, and all I had was myself, my bicycle and enough supplies to maintain it.” Along the way and after months and months of biking, traveling, and moving around, he came to the realization that “home” was not permanent for him. “‘Home’ will always be me in a moving state.” His own real estate company was the result of this phenomena, when he bought a house and later sold it because he soon became restless staying in one location. “You put so much time and effort into the remodel of a ‘home,’ but it’s not a home to me, it’s a house,” he explains. “Even now I live in my basement and rent the top unit. I live in this small one-bedroom studio with a big garage with all my motorcycles and bicycles.” Unfortunately, this is the last school year that Mr. Ressler is teaching at Haverford—a tremendous loss for the community as a whole. However, he remains optimistic

MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH

Examining icicles with Mr. Ressler during a 2019 IC Day trip to the Wissahickon

Page 11

the index · off-campus opinions

June 2020

oﬀ-campus opinions Mainstream media has been overcritical of Trump’s response to COVID-19 Michael Tallarida ’21

n light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the government, specifically President Trump, has faced constant pressure from the mainstream media sources. While some have approved President Trump’s response to the pandemic, the majority of news sources have been critical of the president’s handling of the virus. It doesn’t seem too fair for Mr. Trump to receive this much backlash, but disapproval from the mainstream media is nothing new to the average American.

Before the virus even started to break out in America, President Trump assembled his coronavirus task force, headed by Vice President Pence. Two days later, on January 31, Mr. Trump banned all travel from anyone who was in China in the last two weeks. Trump’s decision received backlash from media sources, with some saying it was too early to do so. Now, four months later, the same sources claim that President Trump was too late to ban travel from China compared to the rest of the world.

THE WHITE HOUSE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

President Donald J. Trump leads a coronavirus news conference, March 13, 2020, in the Rose Garden of the White House

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden even stated, “45 nations had already moved before the president moved.” While the number is relatively true, the extent of Biden’s claim is misleading. President Trump issued this travel ban shortly after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency. Many other countries issued their bans during a similar time period, so Biden’s comparison of the United State’s response time against other countries is a bit out of context. As the virus began to spread throughout the country, President Trump seemed quite certain that the country should be open sooner than later, and that the numbers of cases and fatalities would be lower than what we have seen. While his predictions relied mainly on what his task force was telling him, the media continues to put the blame on the president himself. Dr. Fauci himself agreed with the previous projections of around 60,000 deaths in the United States. As America hovers around 100,000 deaths, Trump continues to boast America’s testing numbers, which has been a pivotal part of the whole pandemic. The United States has administered the most COVID-19 tests worldwide but ranks only fourth in tests per capita. The testing has definitely been an issue during the pandemic, and Trump and his team have heard the feedback about it from the media. While President Trump has been doing

his best to keep the American people safe, the media seems to be constantly looking for new things to blame on Trump. The president’s social media presence may be a bit too much during the pandemic, but his hard work and dedication to the country is being overlooked by the media’s political agenda. Don’t get me wrong, President Trump is not the perfect fit to be serving our country right now, as Republicans like myself believe there are better politicians out there. But, President Trump just wants what’s best for the American people as a whole. As more people urge for the reopening of their respective states, President Trump has served as the driving force behind this American resurgence. States such as Florida and Georgia, who have been open for about three to four weeks now, have yet to see spikes in their cases, as most in the media predicted would happen. Good news like this usually escapes the headlines of media sources, as they continue to focus on the things going awry in our country.

[Trump’s] hard work and dedication to the country is being overlooked by the media’s political agenda. Going into the 2020 presidential election, Trump’s response to the pandemic will be a critical factor in his re-election campaign. While the polls continue to change week to week, the most recent ones show Trump up a few points in many battleground states. Only time will tell how the rest of the pandemic unfolds, and who will be giving that inaugural address on a cold winter afternoon in January.

Kieran Dias-Lalcaca ’21

he failures of this administration have been highlighted throughout these past few months in an astonishing way. The coronavirus seems to be the climax no one saw coming in the neverending series of unfortunate events that you may refer to as the Trump Presidency.

While the efficacy of Trump’s policy over the last few years may be subject to intense debate, and his hateful rhetoric a spot of much contention, the botched handling of the coronavirus pandemic seems to be a simple fact. While the efficacy of Trump’s policy over the last few years may be subject to intense debate, and his hateful rhetoric a spot of much contention, the botched handling of the coronavirus pandemic seems to be a simple fact. First, let’s look at the lack of action that the White House took in the month of February. Instead of bracing a nation for the impact of a novel and deadly threat, the president held four campaign rallies and played two rounds of golf. The lack of action can

Trump’s coronavirus failings be simply summed up by the president’s own words. On January 22nd, two days after the first case of the virus was confirmed in Washington State, CNBC asked if the president had any fears about the case. He responded, “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” On March 17th, the tone had changed significantly, as Trump told reporters, “This is a pandemic...I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.” The reversal of the narrative was only the start of the show. Further complicating the matter from an administration point of view was Trump’s incoherent and inconsistent message, a defining theme in this presidency. On February 28, at one of the aforementioned campaign rallies, Trump likened the virus to the common flu and even called the virus “their new hoax,” referring to the Democrats. These comments further complicated the position of health experts, who needed to have one consistent message to the people—that coronavirus is a real threat and

it needs to be taken seriously. A mere eighteen months before the coronavirus pandemic, Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton disbanded the United State’s Pandemic Response team. Further complicating the mix was how the CDC responded to the virus and testing, implementing tests only for those who were suspected of having the virus, a response that has proved fatal to thousands of Americans. This approach was not implemented by other countries, and a clear example of the difference that good leadership can have is South Korea. South Korea’s CDC did not limit testing so dramatically and immediately put in the efforts necessary to trace and isolate those infected. It is here that the difference between action and reaction is so prominent. Finally, we must address what I believe is the single most reprehensible part of this crisis, and the greatest failure in Trump’s presidency. This is Donald Trump as a figurehead and a role model. The president is meant to act as an example to the people, a leader who shows how one must do what is

right. Further, this role, while certainly not easy, should be the most straightforward for any president, for it costs no money or political capital to be an example of what is right. Trump chose not to wear a mask at his press conferences, giving the impression that it was okay to go without one. He supported terrorists who brought weapons into statehouses across the country with calls to action in his tweets while simultaneously addressing police brutality protests with racist threats. As with his tweet, “...when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” it’s not just that the president doesn’t do his job, it’s that he actively makes it harder for medical professionals to deal with this pandemic while encouraging violence. He suggested drinking bleach and sunlight would cure the virus and makes ludicrous excuses when he is called out for it. He acts like a toddler, failing to make progress on real issues, but somehow coming up with executive orders days after he felt Twitter con’t on p. 14

the index · sports

Page 12

June 2020

sports Fords collegiate athletes worry about possibly suspended seasons “My emotions right now are a little mixed. I’m unsure about the season and just being able to play. The NCAA ruled that, starting June 1, we can be on campus, so it’s just up to the schools now,” Mwangi said. “This spring would have been helpful because of lifting and training. Lifting by myself has been a struggle and hard to get good work in.” Mwangi discusses his methods to continue exercising and preparing for the fall.

“I’m trying to stay positive and keep grinding.” MATHENGE MWANGI ’20

COMMUNICATIONS

Sixth Form soccer player Luke Macaione on May 11 at Coach Mike Murphy’s Commitment Celebration Day Carson De marco ’20

early two months have passed since the quarantine orders were first enforced due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the virus’s presence has affected activities that foster unity, camaraderie, and friendship, including sports. In late March, schools cancelled all activities including spring sports, bringing the careers of all senior spring athletes to an abrupt end. Unfortunately, they were unable to compete for Inter-Ac titles, complete team-bonding events, and spend time with friends and coaches. The normal spring seasons would have ended by now as we transition to summer, but the uncertainty takes a turn towards another sports season: the fall. Without an effective source of treatment for COVID-19, many fall athletes fear the virus will ruin their seasons if universities prevent on-campus learning and medical experts forbid sports teams from practicing. Several graduating seniors, who will continue their athletic careers in college, describe their emotions revolving around the uncertainty of the fall and their methods of navigating through the pandemic to continue working on their game. Sixth Former Dante Perri, who will continue his football career at Lehigh University, speaks with an optimistic lens, reflecting on his previous football season when considering the uncertainty of the fall. “I feel very lucky that my final year of high school football was played, and that I am only entering my first year of college,” Perri said. “My heart goes out to the seniors who have either already lost their senior year or are in danger of doing so.” Perri also highlights the importance of the spring in preparation for the upcoming season. “Losing access to Coach Rosko, fields to throw, and almost every form of a gym has been hard to overcome,” Perri said. “I do feel like I have been able to improve my mind

over quarantine, but having to manufacture workouts is difficult.” Perri articulates a bright spot he’s discovered in the quarantine: improving his mind. “Now, I have moved to mentally sharpening myself. I am able to take time to really grasp my new playbook and watch a lot of film. I have been able to have access to some minor equipment which allows me to try to stay physically prepared,” Perri said. “I am able to get access to some fields where I can gather in small groups and throw, which has been helpful for me.” “I’ve tried my best not to think about, and with some preseason stuff that we’ve already done no one has really talked about [a canceled fall season],” Bowdoin-bound soccer player Luke Macaione said. “It would be so sad and heartbreaking for a lot of those kids. I feel more badly for the seniors who would have to miss out on their last season.” Macaione elaborates on the experiences his club FC Delco could have achieved if the pandemic never occurred. “My club team this year was definitely the best team I’ve ever been on. We have eight or nine Division-I recruits, and we were on track to make playoffs, which would have been the first time in the last ten years of the club,” Macaione said. “Playing against that Division-I-caliber competition four days a week and then games on the weekend— when you’re playing with better players is when you get better, and so I’m definitely upset I missed that chance, but I’m glad we had a couple of months to play together.” Macaione values the team’s efforts to strengthen the relationship amongst the players and help them stay in shape. “We have this running challenge going, so every week it’s a different challenge. The first week it was the most miles. We’re divided into three teams, so whatever team accumulates the most amount of miles wins, and it will determine fitness in the fall,” Ma-

caione said. “We’ve also been in contact with the strength and conditioning coach, and we have this app that he sends us workouts. There are options to do workouts if you have the equipment or for bodyweight stuff, so it’s been a mix of conditioning and strength work.” Sixth Former Mathenge Mwangi, who recently committed to Temple University football, remains concerned about the upcoming season.

“Although it’s been hard, I’ve been working out a lot doing weights, speed training, and footwork,” Mwangi said. “I’m trying to stay positive and keep grinding.” Sixth Former Will Boyes, a University of Chicago soccer commit, spoke to the anxiety the pandemic brings when considering the fall season. Boyes said, “We’ve had team calls with Chicago, but my initial fear is that we won’t be on campus, and obviously you can’t play a season if you’re not on campus. I’m a little anxious in some ways to hear what is going to happen and nervous about the decision, but I hope we have a season.” Boyes emphasizes the importance of playing with his club, Penn Fusion Soccer Academy, for developing his game. “If I were playing in games or at practice, there are certain situations I can work on that you can’t replicate when you’re in quarantine. I think that being with a team is helpful too, and being in that team environment,” Boyes said. “Plus, it’s helpful to have the structure of training sessions to keep you on top of things.”

COMMUNICATIONS

Sixth Form soccer player Will Boyes at Coach Murphy’s celebration

the index · sports

Page 13

June 2020 Tournament have seen much more student engagement. “We polled some students, and they said that they thought the Madden Tournament would be a good idea,” Mr. Fifer said. “I see it as a way to meet students’ interests, and also to get them connected. The goal is that it is a community builder and that they’re interacting with other Haverford community members, maybe with whom they have never interacted. They’re reminded that they’re part of this larger community, which I think is an important reminder right now.”

Students connect through inaugural Madden Tournament Ben Fosnocht hard at work polishing his Madden skills

COURTESY OF BEN FOSNOCHT ’21

Mitav Nayak ’22

way from school, students lack many connections with the community. The administration has worked to combat this problem with varying levels of success. Students and teachers alike have searched for new ideas to bring the community together, foster engagement, and ultimately help replicate the sense of connection and brotherhood students may have taken for granted pre-COVID-19. The school’s inaugural Madden Tournament continued throughout May, largely accomplishing this goal. The tournament was Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer’s brainchild, which he established with a goal of inspiring community engagement among the student body. The event was a huge success,

with almost fifty entries and countless other students tuning in to follow results. Fifth Former Ben Fosnocht ultimately emerged as the winner. “I think it was a lot of fun,” Fosnocht said. “It was a great way to bring the whole Haverford community together. I played against guys I’ve never met before—kids from different grades—which I think was pretty cool. I’m a competitive person, so I tried to win every game, but I also recognize that it was just an enjoyable way to kind of bring us together.” Mr. Fifer has had this goal in mind since the shift to Virtual Haverford. “We’ve kind of been tinkering with different ways in which we can keep kids and

community members connected,” Mr. Fifer said. “And obviously we feel like that is a really important thing to do during this period of time when we’re physically separated—to keep people connected.” Over the past few months, the faculty has sought to form these connections. Mr. Fifer said, “We’ve offered some variety of community programming that has been met honestly with different levels of success: the sessions that we’ve offered have been modest in their attendance. As you may know, I tried to get a trick shot competition off the ground, and that didn’t really work — I submitted an entry and that was the only one that was submitted.” More recent attempts like the Madden

“We’ve kind of been tinkering with different ways in which we can keep kids and community members connected, and obviously we feel like that is a really important thing to do during this period of time when we’re physically separated—to keep people connected.” MR. MARK FIFER As a result of the Madden Tournament’s success, students will likely see similar future tournaments. Currently, the chess tournament is underway, with over twenty-five competitors. “Especially now, I think these tournaments are great,” Fosnocht said. “It’s combining competitiveness with an enjoyable experience into a tournament that I think a lot of people will have fun playing. It doesn’t take too much effort to sit down and play — for example — a Madden game. It was a great way to bring us together, and it’s something we can do apart.”

Dan Curran creates new Eagles podcast Jake LaRocca ’22

ost students are spending their quarantine free time playing video games, watching television, or reading books, but some students are pursuing less traditional activities. Fifth Former Daniel Curran has spent a good chunk of his time creating, editing, and posting a podcast onto SoundCloud. His podcast includes thirty-to-sixty minutes of talking football. His love for the Eagles prompted his idea.

“I just went with the idea of talking Eagles. It was something I loved doing anyway, so I decided to post it on the internet.” DANIEL CURRAN ’22 “One day I was just thinking, and the idea came to my head. I was bored and was looking for something to do. I just went with the idea of talking Eagles. It was something I loved doing anyway, so I decided to post it on the internet,” Curran said. So far, Curran has posted three episodes onto SoundCloud, but he does not plan to stop there, as he has already planned for the next couple of episodes. “Episode 4 is already planned out, but I am waiting for a couple potential rumors to play out first,” Curran said. “For example,

Dan Curran’s Eagles Podcast is uploaded onto SoundCloud there have been reports of the Eagles being cast alone. interested in signing Jadeveon Clowney. “I cut stuff and edit by myself. It takes When those signings or trades happen, I will a decent amount of time. During Episodes record my next episode.” 2 and 3, I had a couple of guests appear and When recording, Curran does not work talk with me. Bryson [Bernhardt] and Liam from a prepared script. [Harkins] both made an appearance during “Going into an episode, I have an agen- Episode 2, and Cyril [Leahy] came in and da. I have a couple of topics that I plan to talked during Episode 3. It’s good to get outcover during each episode; however, depend- side opinions on my podcast,” Daniel said. ing on how it is going, I spend more time on Speaking as a die-hard Eagles fan, Cursome topics than others.” ran is brutally honest. If they make a bad Curran spends a great deal of time do- pick, he is not afraid to call them out. On ing most of the editing after recording the the other hand, when speaking about the episode, but he does not do the entire pod- 2020 NFL season, Curran speaks mostly

SOUNDCLOUD

positively. Curran said, “Coming into the offseason, the roster had many holes. The Eagles finally addressed the issue at wide receiver. We finally picked up a couple of guys that Wentz can actually throw to. Also, the secondary has improved drastically. Last year, our cornerbacks were in line with the worst in the NFL, but I believe they can possibly crack the Top 10 this year. I would really like to see the Eagles sign a veteran pass rusher. Lastly, they probably need to address the linebacker position. With the hard schedule, I think 10-6 is a reasonable record.”

the index · sports

Page 14

Fall coaches prepare for season’s uncertainty Ryan Rodack ‘22

all athletes going into the summer break all have the same question: what will the fall sports season look like? During this time of uncertainty, coaches and directors are working hard to ensure our cross-country, football, golf, soccer, and water polo teams can safely play a season.

to have returning varsity players who know what to expect,” Coach Keefe said. “We’re going to try and keep it the same with some slight modifications.” Sports including soccer, football, and water polo involve strategy, which makes it more difficult for coaches to prepare their athletes virtually. But sports including cross-

OBAIDA ELAMIN ’20

Coaches Poolman, Keefe, and Ator in the October 25 contest vs. SCHA “We are certainly planning as if we will have a fall season,” Athletic Director Mr. Michael Murphy said. “We’ve got a full fall schedule done for each of our teams, and we’re planning to go to camp opening up August 24, as we do for most teams, with football opening a week earlier on the 17th of August.” Although the ideal scenario is to safely open training camps in late August, there are backup plans available if necessary. Mr. Murphy said, “If we wind up with limited time, we would eliminate the nonleague games and focus on making sure we get to have league competition against each other.” When the time comes, the athletic department will open workouts and practices gradually and with caution. “It will start with small-group type things,” said Mr. Murphy. “Our guys will have to get cleared via temperature, and follow a whole list of protocols like handwashing stations, how many can be working together within a certain number of feet, and the field will be split into zones where only some people can cross into, so it will certainly look and feel different.” This summer, training programs will be exceedingly important for athletes because they will not be able to partake in scrimmages or play for club teams as they normally would. Each coaching staff is planning a unique way to train and prepare their athletes for the season, while keeping everyone safe. “Coach Poolman, Coach Ator, and I came up with an offseason conditioning program that we’re going to have our kids doing,” varsity soccer coach Mr. Daniel Keefe said. “They are going to be doing at home workouts with Coach Rosko, which I think is a good way to stay in shape. We are also going to be doing running circuits where we set up teams of guys who will be competing virtually every week to see how many miles they are logging.” Not only will the soccer players have conditioning programs for the summer, but they will also be expected to improve their skills. “We’ve come up with a series of touch drills where they’re going to have the opportunity to record themselves and see how they’re doing compared to other players,” Coach Keefe said. Another facet of preparation that needs to be addressed this summer is game plan and strategy. “We were a young team last year, so a lot of kids know what our system is. It’s helpful

country and golf require little change in terms of off-season training. “Cross-country is luckier than most fall sports. There’s no ball, there are no drills, and you don’t really need a field,” assistant cross country coach Mr. Timothy Lengel said. “We just need the guys to get out and run. We are actually pretty good here!” With many golf courses recently opening up, most of the summer training and practice for golfers will go unchanged compared to previous ones.

“I’m preparing as if we’re going to have a normal season.” DAN CURRAN ’21 “As of right now it’s a go, so until I hear otherwise, I’m preparing as if we’re going to have a normal season,” said Fifth Form golfer Dan Curran. Coach Keefe said, “This really will be a season where champions are made when no one is looking. When we get the green light to play, which I’m hopeful will be at the end of August, if you didn’t put the work in, you’re going to be in trouble.” Although there is still uncertainty regarding when and if the fall season will begin, Mr. Murphy assures all fall athletes one thing: “We’re going to do everything that we can do at Haverford to give players the opportunity to compete in the fall.”

June 2020

The Last Dance complicates the NBA’s GOAT debate Michael Tallarida ’21

ith the lack of live sports over the past two months, avid sports fans have been looking for something to keep them entertained during their quarantine. Originally set to premiere this summer, ESPN moved up the release date of The Last Dance to April 19. The documentary, which focuses on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ path to glory, broke viewership records on its opening night. The series became an instant hit, gaining more attention each week as it concluded on May 17. Going into the documentary, Michael Jordan himself felt skeptical about how it would portray his character. Jordan claimed, “People are going to hate me,” after they watched the ten-part series. The feedback was quite the opposite, as many believe the documentary grew fans’ love of Jordan, bolstering his reputation over LeBron James even more.

“There’s no question in my mind that Jordan is the GOAT.” MATT MIGNUCCI ’20 Haverford students enjoyed the documentary, specifically the Jordan aspect. “I thought the way that it was put together with various interviews from different people from all aspects of Jordan’s life, and the way they edited that all together, including footage from the games, made it a phenomenal documentary,” Fifth Former Drew Loughnane said. In basketball discussions the GOAT

question arises: Jordan or LeBron? The Last Dance seems to have changed the normally generational divide, with more people now regarding Jordan as the best basketball player of all time. “There’s no question in my mind that Jordan is the GOAT,” said Sixth Former Matt Mignucci. “LeBron is a fantastic player capable of being top three, but Jordan was just on another level.” James’ NBA Finals record has always been a knock on his career achievements, only going 3-6 in his appearances compared to Jordan’s perfect 6-0. However, James’ position as heir to the throne is not over yet, as he showed throughout the 2019-20 NBA season that he is still one of the best players on the planet, which for many served as proof of his superiority. “In my opinion, LeBron is no doubt the best basketball player of all time. Jordan has more achievements to his name, but there has never been a player as dominant and physically gifted as LeBron,” said Fifth Former Tyler Zimmer. Former Lakers star Earvin “Magic” Johnson remarked something quite similar, stating, “LeBron James to me, when you think about all-around basketball players, he’s probably the best of all time. An all-around basketball player. But when you want to say who’s the greatest ever, it’s still Michael Jordan.” As the GOAT debate rages, there may never be a clear answer, but The Last Dance brings to light some old footage of Jordan for contemporary fans who may have not seen too much of his game. The door is open for James, and time will tell if he can finally cement himself as the greatest basketball player of all time.

Michael Tallarida ’21 views The Last Dance

MICHAEL TALLARIDA ‘21

Trump, continued from page 11 hurt his feelings and “violated his freedom of speech,” which as a private company, they did not. The President is derelict in his duty as a leader.

Each and every one of these scandals and failures would be enough to end any normal presidency.

COMMUNICATIONS

Coach Brian Martin occupies the high ground, EA Day 2018

Each and every one of these scandals and failures would be enough to end any normal presidency. Yet, what I have written above constitutes less than six months of failures responding to the pandemic or the issues stemming from it. I have barely mentioned the economic

impacts of this virus or the disappearance of the checks on his power. I haven’t scratched the surface of why he acts like the economy is the only important figure, or why he thinks that human lives are worth less than monetary gain. I have omitted these not only because they would require an inordinate number of pages but also because they matter little when compared to the failings of this president to do the basic parts of his job. In 2020, we have almost been to war with a nuclear power over this president’s actions, and now we have been subjected to a pandemic; while not his fault, he has inadequately responded to it. In all this there is only one truth, and that is no matter what happens the only substantive results will come with the ballot boxes on November 3rd, 2020.

the index · arts

Page 15

June 2020

arts Outer Banks’ minor mistakes outweighed by exhilarating plot Jake LaRocca ‘22

n April 15, 2020, in the middle of quarantine, Netflix released the original show Outer Banks. Although filmed in South Carolina, the show takes place on the island of Outer Banks, North Carolina. The series features ten one-hour episodes with a finale suggesting a second season. Most of the actors were quite unknown, but within a few days, each gained a ton of popularity. Chase Stokes, who plays the main character, went from a couple of thousand followers on Instagram to over a million. The show blew up and has been on Netflix’s Top 10 for over a month. The show starts with an introduction from the main character, John B. Both, whose mother and father disappeared, and his uncle, who is his legal guardian, is out

of town. John is a sixteen-year old who lives alone on the island, but he is not really alone. He spends his entire day hanging out with his best friends Kie, JJ, and Pope. With the exception of Kie, none of the group’s families have much money. Their families’ lack of wealth leads them down the path that is the plot of the show. John B.’s father spent his whole life searching for the 400 million dollars worth of gold that went missing when the boat Royal Merchant sank. Early in the show, John B. finds a message from his father and decides to spend his summer looking for the gold. Although the plot of the show is interesting and people love it, aspects of the show are unnecessary. For example, whenever people call or mention John, they refer to him as

“John B.” There are no other John’s on the show, so it makes no sense to constantly repeat his middle initial.

Although the plot of the show is interesting and people love it, aspects of the show are unnecessary. There are parts of the show where “John B.” is said more than five times in a minute. In times of real danger, the other characters feel the need to refer to him as “John B.” instead of hurrying to get him help.

John B, the main character, appears on the series’ title page

The plot is also ridden with holes. For some reason, John is pushed off a 30-foot tower, but he only sustains a broken wrist and concussion. Most would end up either dead or with a broken back from that kind of fall, but John miraculously heals in a couple of days. There is also a moment in the show when John needs to climb up and down a well. With the help of JJ and Pope, John can barely go up and down. When he later returns, he easily goes up and down the well with no assistance. There are countless other holes in the plot. Despite the show’s negative aspects, it is on Netflix’s Top 10 for a reason. It is very entertaining, and there are multiple surprise changes during the show that hook the viewer’s attention. It is truly worth the watch.

NETFLIX

Virtual schooling, continued from page 9 and-mortar classroom. But he agreed that Virtual Haverford allowed him to pick up new tools. Other departments too found difficulties specific to their practices. “It’s even different in the language department, between Latin and the modern spoken languages. Latin was a little bit harder to teach online because we’re relying on actual books,” Ms. Adkins said. “So to some extent, the skills that we’re trying to train and build are ones that were taught one-onone with a kid in the classroom.” Knowing these challenges, adjustments need to be made. Classes need to be taught in a way that suits the virtual curriculum. And the faculty was ready for some changes. “Part of it was deciding what content was non-negotiable,” Ms. Adkins said. “What are the things we need to have the boys learn? What are the things that we can toss out because we can’t do this virtually or it’s not as important? We are all using different tools: Flipgrid, Pear Deck, and Padlet. And I think we’re still finding that there may be better tools out there.” Teachers also emphasized the importance of student participation in the virtual curriculum. Success would not be possible without the cooperation of the students. “It really depends on the students themselves to come ready to engage for the hour sessions, because virtual schooling

makes it really very difficult on my end to check on them,” Mr. Keefe said. Ms. Turlish said, “I’ve been battling that sense of being overwhelmed. And I feel like I’m succeeding. I feel like I’m doing something that’s consistent with how I am as a teacher in person. Overall, thanks to the students themselves, I would say this year was a success.”

“The virtual school also triggers my curiosity because now there is more time for fewer classes.” MARK POLONSKY ’23 Mr. Keefe said, “I think more student feedback would be helpful: was this successful? Did you find that this was helpful? What were the classes that I liked? There are classes that have been more successful, why is that? It really helps us as faculty members, to be then reinforced. We readapt, and we come out next year with two months of experimentation under our belts so that we get better with every iteration of this.” Student feedback has been positive. “School is a great place to immerse

yourself,” Third Former Mark Polonsky said. “The virtual school also triggers my curiosity because now there is more time for fewer classes.” Ms. Adkins did express some concerns about not being able to include everything in her Latin class this year. But feedback suggested that her innovations and willingness to adapt had a great outcome. “She did this cool thing with Pear Deck, where we would have 25 questions prepared for the class. It was entertaining, and it was a good way to help the class stay into the material and focus,” Scauzzo said. Students appreciated the new technologies in virtual schooling. As a conclusion to this school year, Scauzzo thanked the student body for working together as a community. “We were tested way harder than anyone in high school ever should be with online school. We had to really get intimate with our teachers and figure out what’s the best way to learn. The student body’s judgment was superb, and we had a great impact on everything. So as challenging as it was, I have to salute them because I think we all did a really good job getting through this,” Scauzzo said. At the end of the school year, students and teachers began to contextualize their daily lives, which are now dictated by the quarantine.

“As a historian, I often find myself wondering, what was it like for a 17-year-old going through Word War II, hiding in a closet for three years?” Ms. Turlish said. “On some level, if we can get through it intact with our moral and ethical cores, we’re all going to be fine. I want students to remember that. Every single teenager on the planet is going through this on some level. And that is, I hope, reassuring.”