March 2017 Index

The Index Ευταξια Σωζειν Δοκει

March 2017

Volume LXXVIII, No. 6

www.havindex.com

Haverford, Pennsylvania

Joyce, Squash beat Brunswick, take home national title Sam Turner ‘18 & Will Glaser ‘17 A heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Brunswick School in last year’s High School Championships propelled this year’s Varsity A squash team to new heights. After a weekend of hard-fought matches, the Fords claimed the national title for the first time in program history.

The Fords traveled to the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut with their sights set high.

Amidst the blasting music and Wawa hoagies on the van ride up emerged a “simple mindset: We were top seeds and I wanted to make sure that the boys understood it didn’t mean anything. But they were hungry. They wanted to bring home the first official National title and they wanted to prove that they were the best,” said coach Asad Khan.

Although the Fords have claimed over 25 unofficial national titles, they have fallen slightly short since the official tournament’s inception in 2004. Fifth Former and Fords #2 Peter Miller said, “Emotions come into play at Nationals so our good team camaraderie really helped. We focused on game plans throughout the whole tournament and made sure to take each opponent seriously because -- although we were the top seeds -- you never know what an opponent can do.”

The Fords triumphed in the first three rounds, and the tension was palpable as the Fords and Bruins walked on court to give introductions.

Parallel and opposite matches left the match score tied 1-1 as Fifth Former Peter Miller emerged victorious and Sixth Former and co-captain Bill Wu fell short in a grueling match. Fourth Former Spencer Yager defended multiple game-

balls to close out a four-game win, and Fifth Former Grant Sterman bested his opponent in three games. Fifth Former Samuel Turner, nearly swiping the last game, fell short as the score narrowed to 3-2. The burden now rested on Sixth Formers and co-captains Will Glaser and Duncan Joyce. Joyce overcame a brutal first game to defeat his opponent in four games, and Glaser sailed to a four-game victory shortly thereafter, solidifying a 5-2 victory.

Lifting the Justi Cup was just “ecstatic,” according to both Miller and Coach Khan. As the team tried to comprehend the magnitude of their win, emotions and gratitude poured in: “I want to thank John Nostrant and Michael Murphy who have kept me motivated through the thick and thin. I want to thank Sheila Maginn, Dr. Nagl, and all the parents for their support. I want to thank my coaches Sam Walters, Gary Kan, Ronnie Koenig and Hilary Bond for working extremely hard. I want to thank Andrew Poolman because without his guidance, I think this season would have been a whole lot tougher. I want to thank my elder brother Imran Khan for teaching me and challenging me to improve. Above all, I want to thank my Ford boys for working hard and playing valiantly with great sportsmanship throughout the season,” said Coach Khan.

Shortly after the win, Joyce updated Haverford squash alumni, “We did it!! That was continued on page 9

Swimming/Diving secures Inter-Ac title, third at Easterns Matt LaRocca ‘18

Last winter, Coach Sean Hansen’s Haverford Swimming and Diving team finished the season 5-1 (4-1) and second in the Inter-Ac. The team defeated Germantown Academy, Episcopal, Penn Charter, and Springside Chestnut Hill; however, they fell short against Malvern Prep.

What a difference a year makes.

On Friday, January 27, the Fords faced off against Malvern Prep at home. This meet was a

smashing success for the Fords. They defeated Malvern 105-81 in front of a raucous Haverford fanbase.

The team’s hard work at practice made the difference. “We practiced together as a team and that’s really what makes the difference.” continued on page 10

Swimming/Diving team celebrates at Easterns

MR. MATTHEW DEGEORGE

Duncan Joyce sets up for a down-the-line backhand

Should “snitches get stitches”?

Peter Solomon ‘17 Most adolescents have heard the phrase “snitches get stitches” at some point... and then thought twice about confronting a friend for their actions out of fear of being unloyal.

The broken pillar caused the closing of the Community Room and the continuous issue with the soap dispensers caused some talk about closing the locker room. The two instances led students to question when it stops being okay to cover for their friends and peers.

Haverford’s Honor Code lays the groundwork for honesty when it asks, “Does this action hurt or disrespect another person?” and “Does this action give me or others an unfair advantage?” The lack of clarity leads to some problems. Sixth Form Honor Council Chairman Dean Manko said, “[The Honor Code] is about making sure that we have a community where we can trust one another. So, whether it’s a friend, classmate, or anyone you know, and you feel like their actions take a step far enough that it’s violating the trust placed in them by the community, then I think that becomes obviously reportable. But it is up to anyone to determine when that line is crossed.”

Some students feel less inclined to come forward with information. “There are instances I know in which students do not feel comfortable bringing a peer forward,” Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer said, “because they are fearful of what implications that may have on their peer, and also what [social] repercussions it can have in their own peer groups.”

Some students cover for their friends. “With a friend, I would feel a bias where I would be more lenient with them. But if it got really bad, I would go to them or their parents and address

[the issue],” Fifth Former Justin Meyer said.

Underclassmen share the same sentiment. “If whoever did [something wrong] is closer to me, I’m more inclined to stay on their side,” Third Former Michael Barr said. “If it got to that point [where they closed the community room], I probably would say something if I knew who did it, even if it were a friend.”

Some students feel a different sense of loyalty, and do not tell administration on any of their peers, regardless of who it is. “I wouldn’t tell on my friends in any instance,” Fifth Former Bobby Gibson said, “and if it’s not my friend, then I just didn’t see anything.”

When is it appropriate to turn in one’s friends for their actions? Each student has a different answer to this question. This can lead to some problems because there should be some uniform sense of when it is okay to turn one’s friends into administration. “In strong and healthy communities, there is a balance struck between loyalty and honesty,” Mr. Fifer said, “and if an action is detrimental to the community as a whole, it would be our hope that students would bring those matters to our attention so that we can address it.”

Loyalty and trust need balance in any community, but, as Manko said, each student’s personal discretion should determine when they feel alerting the administration is appropriate.

“Our goal should be to not let anyone’s actions get to the point where they are detrimental to the community as a whole,” Mr Fifer said. “If some matters are left unaddressed, they can be toxic to the community.”

Also inside this issue...

Troubling trend: 83% of students are sleep deprived - page 3

DAVID BUNN ‘17

MR. JIM ROESE

Gucci gets another go - page 12

JASON PERSSE

havindex.com exclusive Noname’s debut Telefone review

Page 2

The Index

Announcements

March 2017

Letter from Student Body President Evan Scott Dear Upper School Students and Faculty, February has been a tumultuous time for the Haverford School, mirroring that of America.

However, I think the boys and faculty here have handled such changes nicely. My brothers are still my brothers -- friends, still my friends. I’m seeing more and more smiles every time I walk through the halls, and to me that signifies progress and evolution: some things I talked about at the beginning of the school year. My mission was and has been to encourage the younger boys to walk through the halls with their eyes up, not glued to the floor. Confidence is a key, but the door confidence opens is not always clear.

What do I mean by this metaphor, you ask?

I have no idea; I saw it on the internet. But my point about confidence is this: everyone can have it, but not everyone knows where to get it. My point is — my hope is — that we can all get it from one another! It’s important to accept those who are different from you, to build up those who are struggling more than you. In the unbelievably powerful words of Jenny Boylan, “We don’t go to heaven because we hate those who are easy to hate. We go to heaven because we love those who are difficult to love.” Whether or not you believe in heaven is unimportant; Boylan’s point is that it is our duty to believe in one another when the going gets tough for our brothers… Even those

who we don’t know well or like much yet. If you go to the Haverford School, you have 975 boys in your family that you need to take care of. Not all at the same time, not all the time either, but whenever help is warranted, it needs to be you (any of you who are reading this should know I am speaking to all of you) who offers assistance and guidance.

“There are close to four months left of the 2016-17 school year, and I hope you leave this year with a renewed sense of self; it’s spring, baby… It’s time to grow.”

Everyone here has things they are afraid to talk about. That is no mystery. Some of us have problems at home we are uncomfortable with, some of us have problems socially. Most of us are often troubled by our own decisions, some of us don’t yet know who we are. But all of us can offer things to someone else that promotes self-growth, self-appreciation, and self-love. There are close to four months left of the 2016-17 school year, and I hope you leave this year with a renewed sense of self; it’s spring, baby… It’s time to grow.

JOHN NOSTRANT ‘17

March Service Board announcements Will Henderson ‘18

Peanut Butter & Jelly Club

Rowan House Tutoring The Rowan House Tutoring project has been headed by Alex Ciardi for the 2016-17 school year. Students go into the city every other Friday to tutor underprivileged children. We have a large list of students volunteering for this and would love to add more. Contact Alex Ciardi.

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Club has had several sandwich-making gatherings this year, and it continues in its efforts to get as many attendants as possible. We work with Agnes Irwin to make as many bagged lunches as we can to feed the homeless in Philadelphia. So far this year, we’ve donated more than 1,200 bagged lunches to the folks at Project HOME to distribute to people living on the streets of Philadelphia. The Peanut Butter and Jelly Club will continue to have meetings throughout the remainder of the year, so if you are interested, contact the club’s leader, Jeff Li, or ask any of the club’s members to add you to the Facebook page.

Back On My Feet Shoe Drive Upper School students can donate sneakers/ athletic shoes (without spikes) to the Back On My Feet Shoe Drive. The shoes are given to less fortunate people in the Philadelphia area, allowing them to begin a program to get a job, education, and independence. Contact Ms. Loos or Neetish Sharma if you have questions.

Empty Bowls

Fifth Formers making PB&J sandwiches

MS. JINI LOOS

On Sunday, March 12th, Haverford will host the biannual Empty Bowls event to spread awareness

The Index’s

2016-2017 Staff

Connor Lees ‘17, Editor-in-Chief George Rubin ‘17, Editor-in-Chief Samuel Turner ‘18, Editor-in-Chief Bill Wu ‘17, News Editor Will Henderson ‘18, Opinions Editor P.J. Rodden ‘18, Sports Editor Grant Sterman ‘18, Politics Editor David Bunn ‘17, Photography Editor Harper Weigle ‘17, Website Technician Andrew Lengel ‘17, Outdex Editor Will Pechet ‘17, Outdex Editor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh, Faculty Advisor Ms. Alicia Evans, Faculty Advisor

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.

Sixth Former Chris Delaney exicted to give blood for the blood drive

about hunger, poverty, and homelessness in the Philadelphia area. The Haverford, Agnes Irwin, and Baldwin service boards will be selling raffle tickets and several professionally-painted bowls.

Guests will also receive several bowls painted by students at the three schools and a meal of soup and bread. Contact Ms. Loos or any member of the Service Board with questions.

MS. JINI LOOS

Electronics Collection This April, students can donate old cell phones, tablets, and laptops to people in the Philadelphia area that do not have access to them. We are still determining which particular organization they will go to, but donations are welcome anytime between now and then. Contact Ms. Loos or Aidan Mantelmacher with any questions.

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.

The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed on Mac OS X, using Adobe InDesign CS 2015. Its surveys are conducted via SurveyMonkey and are advertised on Facebook to current Haverford students. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1091 community members, consisting of 975 students and 116 faculty members.

Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index http://www.havindex.com/ (610) 642-3020 x. 1222 Volume LXXVIII, No. 6 - March 8, 2017

Page 3

The Index

News

March 2017

No clean hands in a prank gone too far Josh Ridenhour ‘17 A prank gone too far has caused tension and talk throughout the locker room and beyond. In the athletic building, the exterior of soap dispensers and the soap itself have been disappearing, and no one has a clue who the culprit could be. The tension has caused changes in the locker room and the times available for students to access the building. Anger has arisen from faculty and students in the community, yet the problem remains.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable for the defacement of school property, even if an accident has occurred. Events of this sort need to be reported, or better yet, avoided.”

-Evan Scott Maintenance worker Mr. Chris Domboski, who works in both the Upper School and Athletic building said, “I feel like it might be one of two things. It might be opponents of other schools coming in the locker rooms and messing them up, or guys just horsing around. If it is Haverford guys doing the crimes, there is a lot of immaturity

on some of the younger students’ level. It may be the peer groups not stressing to other kids that there’s a level of conduct; you might be able to goof around a little bit, but you can’t break stuff.”

The only action to help fix the the problem was changing the times students are able to get into the locker room. The Athletic Department determined 8:30 a.m. as the official time the locker room closed, and this has caused for animosity among student-athletes who need to use the room during this time.

Sixth Form Student Body President Evan Scott said, “Obviously, this matter is of pressing concern for the campus. It’s absolutely unacceptable for the defacement of school property, even if an accident has occurred. Events of this sort need to be reported, or better yet, avoided.”

The mischievous act first began two months ago, but was not brought to the attention of the student body until recently. Associate Athletic Director Mr. Michael Murphy addressed the issue in Centennial Hall after the annual Blood Drive assembly. Upper School Head Mr. Matt Green reiterated the message and challenged the community to be at their best and to hold one another accountable.

“The only way we can solve the problem is if we find the person in the act or if the culprit fesses up. Regardless, it’s not cool.”

-Kyle Alday Most Haverford students feel that a brotherhood separates the school from the others in the district. A part of this brotherhood, however, comes with the idea of protecting each other at all costs. This virtue can be strong, but also detrimental. No one has come to own up to their habitual actions, nor has anyone told who the damaged was caused by.

Sixth Former Kyle Alday, a member of the crew team who regularly visits the locker room, said, “Whoever is taking down the soap dispensers is pretty immature, and the act does nothing but make inconvenience for the rest of the Haverford community. The only way we can solve the problem is if we find the person in the act or if the culprit fesses up. Regardless, it’s not cool.”

JOSH RIDENHOUR ‘17

A broken soap dispenser in the locker room

Dodgeball tournament a hit, raises money for Project Home Jonny Sonnenfeld ‘20 On Sunday, February 12, 2017, the Agnes Irwin School hosted the Dodge for a Difference event in support of Project Home. Project Home is a national organization whose mission is to “empower adults, children and families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.” Project Home provides housing assistance, street outreach, adult learning and employment training, health care and recovery services, and teen and youth programs. It also advocates on behalf of the poor and homeless, and it proactively supports public policy changes.

Event participants were asked to each donate $5, and the event was open to high school students from both Agnes Irwin and Haverford. The participants were divided into eight-person teams, with each team comprised of four students from Agnes Irwin and four students from Haverford.

14 teams and 112 students participated in the event. Brian Hyland and Charlotte Meltzer served as referees to keep the dodgeball chaos to

a minimum. The two-hour tournament ended in a thrilling upset: an underdog team consisting of four Haverford Third Formers and four Agnes Irwin Fifth Formers defeated a team of Sixth Formers whose lineup featured varsity athletes such as Tommy Toal and Billy Holmes.

Third Former Luke Macaione said, “I thought it was fun.” Ms. Loos similarly expressed her excitement about how many people turned up and how enthusiastic they were; she plans on holding the event every other year. Looking back on the event, Agnes Irwin Fifth Former Paige Brala said, “It was really great. I was super excited to beat my brother (Third Former Connor Brala) and his friends.”

While Haverford’s Brala may have taken the loss, the Dodgeball tournament ultimately resulted in a resounding success and a sizable donation to Project Home.

The winning team from “Dodge for a Difference”

BRYAN HYLAND ‘17

Troubling trend: 83% of students are sleep deprived Jed Senior ‘19 Sleep is one of the most crucial elements of a person’s health and overall well-being. Lack of sleep leads to an increased risk of chronic health issues, along with problems thinking, reacting,

working, learning, and interacting with other people. According to the National Sleep Foundation, high school students need eight-toten hours of sleep per night in order to function

A student catching up on lost sleep on “the street”

DAVID BUNN ‘17

regularly and not harm their brains. This begs the question: are Haverford students sleep deprived or sleep indulged?

A recent poll of the student body found that approximately 83% of students in the Upper School are sleep deprived, averaging only fourto-seven hours of sleep per night. Even more troubling, a little over 27% of students do not even get six hours of sleep. Therefore, about 83% of students are not performing to their maximum capability and could be experiencing increased stress due to their lack of sleep.

Fourth Former Barrett Spragg is one of 83% of students who are sleep deprived. On average Spragg gets six hours of sleep per night. Spragg attributes his lack of sleep to his massive workload along with procrastination during the night.

“Limiting my hours of sleep because of excessive school work has proven to be a major factor in the way I perform in the classroom and on tests.

Sometimes I have to realize that some school work can be done the next day and I need to find a way to balance finishing schoolwork and getting enough sleep.”

Spragg is a firm believer that less work along with better study habits can help him get more sleep each night. But he finds these tasks difficult, considering that technology is all around him, and distraction is inevitable. Spragg, like many

other students, struggles to manage his time because of his workload, sports requirements, and distractions.

Fifth Former Bobby Stratts has a solution for Barrett’s and many other’s problems. Stratts turns off his electronics and notifications during the night, so that he does not get distracted and can stay on task.

Stratts gets eight hours of sleep per night because he is, “diligent in his work and goes to bed early, even if that means not doing homework until the next morning.”

Bobby’s strategy of turning off his electronics could help students finish their homework and get to sleep earlier. If a student can successfully manage his free periods, he may also be able to cut down his workload for the night.

Even some Haverford faculty members agree that sleep deprivation is an issue in the school.

Science Teacher Mr. Peter Arthmire notices the effect that sleep has on his students and feels that it hinders their ability to learn successfully in the classroom. “I think it’s a serious issue and it needs to be addressed by education,” Mr. Arthmire said.

“I believe we should inform kids about better sleep techniques to see if they can perform better in the classroom and on the playing field.”

Page 4

The Index

News

March 2017

PE still for Fourth Formers? Big changes may be coming Jacob Wertheimer ‘17 Big changes are coming to the Haverford School.

With Upper School Head Mr. Matt Green recently proposing changes to the schedule, the school must consider the placement of gym class, normally slotted during Fourth Form year. Many students complain about half of their newly acquired free periods being lost to gym, especially with Fourth Form year having the notorious honors Chemistry - considered by some to be the most difficult course in the school.

“It’s not working for anybody at this point,” Mr. Green said. “I’m concerned about the impact it has on tenth grade academic programs. As the academics are beginning to ramp up, it’s forcing kids to make a choice between the arts and their physical education requirement, and what you have is students starting in ninth grade art, getting very excited about the arts, and then come into my office throughout September and saying, that they like it very much, but just can’t do it.”

The school has placed gym class in Fourth Form year since 2002. Mr. Green said, “You’re getting a second-hand account here because the decision predates me being here. My understanding is there was a sense, on the part of the faculty and the academic leadership, that ninth grade was a transitional year, and that to overstuff their schedules while they were orienting themselves to a new divisions or new school was not academically appropriate.”

“We’re always considering whether it’s enough, whether it’s in the right spot… at this point if I had to pick a year I’d probably pick ninth grade,” Mr. Green said.

As students transition from Third to Fourth Form year, they gain a sizable amount of responsibility and lose a lot of their free time.

In addition to a much more rigorous academic schedule with the introduction of honors sciences, the athletic requirements for many students spike as well; many athletes begin to have junior-varsity or even varsity involvement their Fourth Form year.

“I definitely needed more time sophomore year,” Fifth Former Kyle Wagner said.

The change could prove beneficial for both Forms. “As a freshman it’s easier to get bored and tired.. [Gym] can be a good break,” Wagner said.

“Also, sophomore year can be a really difficult year so you need that extra time to do work, and it sucks trying to figure out when you have a free and when you don’t.”

MS. DAWN BLAKE

Fourth Formers playing dodgeball

The so called “sophomore slump” is a real issue, One of the school’s main focuses during this time of change should be to help the Fourth Formers.

Many students are still adjusting to life at Haverford, and the rise in expectations can catch students by surprise.

They need all the time they can get.

When looking to make a change, both the

benefits and the downsides must be considered.

Fourth Form student Petey Lemmon said, “I can’t really see any… I think it would be better placed Freshman year… That’s an easier year and you don’t have as much homework, so an extra free would be more valuable to a sophomore than a freshman.”

Making a scheduling change that affects an entire grade can be difficult. Such a decision

requires the agreement of an assortment of faculty members and academic advisors. However, with the school already considering change, there has never been a better time to propose such a concept.

Making this type of change to the schedule would not be difficult on a practical level. Upper School Registrar Ms. Karen Skidmore said, “It would be the same.”

meets with the team during the evening hours and helps them to form the groundwork for each trial.

“He is the driving force behind the program,” Upper School Head Mr. Matthew Green said.

“He can break down a case so thoroughly, intellectually, and then put it back together in a way that is emotionally resonant.”

Mr. DeSimone’s desire to help the team succeed is unmatched. His passion rubs off onto the varsity team as they prepare and eventually compete in a trial. The experience gained over a

long and successful career has driven the team to victory this season. Sixth Form Varsity Mock Trial competitor Tucker Matus said, “[Mr. DeSimone] gives us an advantage over the other teams because they may understand the same facts as we do, but we get the insight from somebody who has tried multiple cases from both sides as a District Attorney and Defense Attorney.”

The Mock Trial Team’s success this season can be credited to more than the influence of Mr. DeSimone. Five Sixth Form veterans have led the

team throughout the season. Two of those seniors have sacrificed their own positions on the team to lead the younger students on team two. Mr. Green said, “Two seniors, Jack McKnight and Nick Magnani, chose by design to be the leaders of Team Two rather than saying they have to be on Team One.”

Sixth Form leadership sends Mock Trial to distict semifinals Richie Sounders ‘17 When the Mock Trial team enters the courtroom, they are focused on one job: win the case.

The Mock Trial team finished their season 4-1, earning a spot in the district semifinals. Many do not have a solid understanding of the team’s recent success. Leadership from VI Form veterans along with Mr. Frank DeSimone are the backbone of the team’s success.

Much of the help preparing for the trials can be credited to Mr. DeSimone, one of the most renowned lawyers in the Philadelphia area. He

“Half of being a lawyer is knowing what you are doing and having the confidence to go do it.”

- Jack McKnight McKnight credits the team’s success to “Having Mr. [Garth] Hoyt [‘89] and Mr. DeSimone.

Those two guys have helped us so much.”

Preparation has been key for the team as one must know every detail before stepping into the courtroom. Jack McKnight said, “Half of being a lawyer is knowing what you are doing and having the confidence to go do it.”

Fifth Form Varsity Competitor Sam Turner said, “We have great team chemistry this year. We know when to push and work hard. And we also know when to have fun and just joke with each other.”

MR. MATT GREEN

The Mock Trial team looks serious

Page 5

The Index

News

March 2017

Does commute time affect grades?

Malik Twyman ‘17 The Haverford School prides itself on a competitive academic environment comprised of boys from all backgrounds. Young men come from a variety of homes, some who live in the suburbs and others who live deep in Philadelphia. Despite where you come from in the morning, when you arrive on campus, everyone’s goal is the same: to find success.

Some may find it easier to succeed compared to others.

“As if transitioning into an elite private school was not enough for an underclassman. Having two hours a night after harsh practices didn’t help.”

-Josh Ridenhour

Some students live as much as thirty minutes to an hour-and-a-half away, finding themselves only having two hours to manage all of their school work at night. Others, who may participate in a club for an hour after school, have five or six hours to work.

Obviously, some students have more time to completely comprehend their studies and advance in the classroom. This may explain the variations in GPA. Sixth Former Will Towle said, “I don’t feel like living closer affected my GPA at all.

I live ten minutes away from Haverford, and when I’m finished sports, I’m home at 5 p.m and typically wait till seven or eight to begin my work.”

New Jersey Sixth Former Josh Ridenhour has a different perspective.

“At first, in my beginning years at Haverford it was a challenge. As if

transitioning into an elite private school was not enough for an underclassman. Having two hours a night after harsh practices didn’t help.”

The school’s curriculum is difficult enough, and limited hours of in school work in addition to a tired boy can take a heavy toll on one’s performance. Sixth Former Ismail Morrison said, “I have a solid grasp on how to conduct myself now when I arrive home. I would say my underclassman GPA was great for a first-year student, but if I were lucky enough to live so close to the school, it could have been even better.”

The distance traveled from home may not be the only variable in affecting GPA. Upper School Head Matt Green said, “I cannot say with certainty whether or not distance correlates with GPA... it does seem to make sense that any time you are in a car or on a train you are less attentive and productive. I

expect that the boys who really struggle are the ones who play on sports teams and then have an hour commute.”

A study of student zip codes reveals that closest places to live near Haverford are Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, and Villanova. These three places are only five-to-ten-minute drives home. Yet out of 435 students in the Upper School, 99 students live in these immediate areas. As for the other 336 students, the commute ranges from twenty minutes to an hour and a half.

Despite where students may come from, each arrives to campus with great ambition.

Though the possibility of succeeding for some is complex, this is exactly what the school tries to inculcate into the students. Our motto reads “The Haverford School, Preparing boys for life.” In life things will never be fair, and it’s the vital the students understand the concept.

Is senioritis a myth?

Kyle Wagner ‘20 Senioritis, a word we all throw around in the second semester, has become a common thought for Haverford upperclassmen. We all notice the excitement of college admissions and the subsequent turning point of the second semester once the seniors leave to go to their senior projects. As the school year crawls to an end, we also experience fatigue creeping over us as we struggle to complete our daily class work and as we begin to doubt the motivation behind our work ethic.

Does a lack of motivation stem from senioritis, a somewhat dubious term for this sudden affliction, or is senioritis simply a myth?

English Department Chair Mr. Thomas Stambaugh argues that senioritis is a myth because Sixth Formers perform at a consistent level during the first and second semesters. He also believes that the more relaxed atmosphere of the second semester is often mistaken for senioritis. Mr. Stambaugh said, “Three years ago, it happened.

I felt that they [the students] are blowing it [the work] off, and they aren’t getting their work done on time. But, when I actually looked at my rosters out of two classes with 28 kids, there were only three kids who were not meeting my expectations.

I think I was just taking it so personally, and that sort of overwhelmed everything else.”

“The spring takes on a less intense vibe,” Mr. Stambaugh said, “certainly with college acceptance out of the way -- what people call the seventh class. With that out of the way, of course things are going to have a little bit more breathing room.” Once the college admissions process is out of the way, pressure is indeed lifted off of the shoulders of the Haverford seniors, but he maintains that the performance of the students is constant throughout the year. In fact, in the first semester, Mr. Stambaugh noticed that his students “weren’t answering emails, they weren’t

handing things in on time, and they were not coming to school when projects were due” at an even greater rate than the second semester.

Sixth Former Connor Lees said, “I got accepted into college through early decision, and I take four honors classes. I expected the second semester to be easy, but that hasn’t happened thus far.” Lees’ work load has actually increased further to the point that he has “three or more hours of homework every night since returning from winter break.” With his course load full of honors classes, and with the increase in workload during the second semester, Lees said, “Senioritis is not as prevalent as people make it out to be, especially for the kids still taking honors classes.”

From Science teacher Mrs. Kara Cleffi’s point of view, senioritis does not exist at all. “I don’t have anybody who doesn’t do the work. I don’t have seniors not handing things in. Do I maybe have seniors who put in less effort? Yes. And in my experience, kids who are good students, who have consistently achieved good grades, don’t want to not get good grades at the end,” Mrs. Cleffi said.

“After years of staying up late, waking up early, and staying long afternoons for extracurricular activities, there is nothing to make a senior lazier than a college acceptance letter”

- Jack McKnight On the other end of the spectrum exists the strong believers in senioritis. Calculus and

View from a car merging onto I-476

Economics teacher Dr. Mark Gottlieb said, “I think it actually varies a lot. Some seniors actually work until the very end, and that’s not a small amount. There are also some students who have lost their motivation for working, because their primary motivation was to get grades. And now the grades don’t matter, so they figure that the grades don’t matter. So the guys who have more intrinsic motivation for learning, are the guys who tend to work until the very end. Either that, or they have a lot of attachment to their own performance, they have pride in themselves, and they don’t want to do a poor job.”

“Senioritis is definitely not a myth,” Sixth Former Jack McKnight said. “It is very real and very present at Haverford. After years of staying up late, waking up early, and staying long afternoons for extracurricular activities, there is nothing to make a senior lazier than a college acceptance letter. While the fault is mostly on

Sixth Formers Joel Truckess, Chris Hervada, Teddy Fitzgerald, Frankie DiAngelo, Dave Hogarth, and Chris Morrison chatting in the library

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

students, some should lie on the school schedule and the culture at Haverford.”

Dr. Gottlieb believes senioritis is not specific to Haverford. “No, I think it’s true in every school.

My experience, with knowing other teachers from other schools, is that it happens in every school,” Dr. Gottlieb said. He did note that some of the responsibility to keep students engaged falls to the teachers. He said, “You have to give students work they are interested in. So at the end of the year, I usually give projects.”

With Mr. Green looking to implement changes in the faithful old Haverford schedule, the Sixth Form’s lack of motivation is an issue to strongly consider in a new schedule.

INDEX STAFF

Page 6

The Index

Opinions

March 2017

Reexamining Haverford’s schedule

John Comai ‘18

INDEX STAFF

Haverford’s current schedule

Is Haverford too liberal?

The Haverford administration has recently begun pursuing a shift in the school’s scheduling, utilizing an external consulting firm. However, it is unclear what exactly they intend to change about the schedule. As school structure has developed over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, almost every aspect of teaching and learning has been fundamentally affected aside from one: the archaic school schedule. Indeed, our school schedule is built around the vestiges of America’s agrarian past. The model of nine months of school and a three-month break (and six-to-seven-hour school days) has remained essentially unchanged from the original system, which implemented a summer break to let the children assist their parents with summer harvests.

Countries with higher requirements for school attendance, such as Japan, Poland, Finland, and Singapore, tend to have higher achievement rates and literacy, and the Department of Education has in the past called for American schools to abandon the nine month/three-month schedule.

Yet it seems unlikely that this will ever change.

The state with the highest school day attendance requirement is Kansas, at 187 days, and Oregon’s initiative to increase the school year to 225 days in a 10-year incremental shift proved to be a failure.

So what scheduling details, besides the overall school day, affect students’ learning and have potential to change under the administration’s push? “Prisoners of Time,” a report from the Education Commission of the States, criticizes the role of the clock in our school scheduling, pointing out that students who require more time in some subjects and less in others are left behind, and despite the emphasis on time, only 41% of it is used in core subjects on a national average. One of the study’s recommendations was assessing the time required for students to grasp subjects and express progress, and using the data to determine the necessity of scheduling. In essence, the future points towards longer school days. In a world of specialized employment, where most jobs will require a high-level education, it is unacceptable to leave children behind on basic subjects.

Countries that outpace the US in academics have already internalized this, extending school days and limiting vacations.

It isn’t quite clear what lies in the future for Haverford’s school schedule. It is entirely possible that the resources the administration is utilizing will lead them in a different direction. Evidence points to days at Haverford getting longer and academic involvement getting more intense.

as an all-boys school, its conservative. There’s definitely been a liberal movement. I don’t like the safe space stickers that have just been placed around the school. It’s conservative but there are liberal voices.”

To the stereotypical outside observer, it may seem ridiculous that The Haverford School could be labeled “too liberal” considering its history as a conservative and uncompromising institution.

But some students do feel isolated by what they feel is a political agenda by the school administration.

“Haverford clearly is an elite school, and it definitely has an extensive alumni network in addition to other connections to people,” said Fifth Former Will Henderson. “Why, then, do we first bring back somebody who has already spoken at Haverford before, somebody who, in my opinion, few if any students can connect to?”

While students who opened their minds to Ms. Boylan’s message seemed to find it powerful, the question of how Haverford picks its speakers and whether it does so with a political agenda is still on the table.

There is certainly a community of alumni who feel that Haverford has veered off in the wrong direction as indicated by several alumni objections to “The Index kneels with Kaepernick,” posted on facebook. Jeff Lockman, class of 1986, commented, “No way. I do not stand with the index. I’m sure the administration of HS feels the same way as the index. It’s sad. I know that my headmaster, Davis Parker, wouldn’t stand with the “index” either. You should stick to providing a world-class education, and drop the politics.

Please.” This point of view extends to educational institutions across the board of higher education.

Breitbart published a piece titled, “‘Infantilized’ College Students Need ‘Safe Spaces’ to Avoid Scary Free Speech,” and there are many more like it spilling from conservative media outlets.

When asked whether the school administration has a political agenda, English Department Chair Mr. Tom Stambaugh ’90 said, “I think we probably want to hit students from every angle possible, we’d want to expose students to every point of view we possibly could.” While this is great in theory, many students feel they are getting hit from one side more than the other.

Sixth Former Will Pechet thinks that some teachers definitely have political agendas, but doesn’t believe teachers’ points of view take away from the class. “Dr. Ehrhart, the first day you have him in class he makes it very clear that his class is very one sided,” he said. “I challenged him on a lot of his views, and he was opened to those challenges and sent me articles giving the other side.”

While many teachers’ left leaning political views may come through in their classes, this

could just be because educators in general tend to be liberal. “People who make modest professional salaries who’ve dedicated their lives to education and to ideas, etc., are probably less likely to be hardcore capitalists,” said Mr. Stambaugh.

It seems that, whether or not teachers and the administration are too one sided in their approach to education, the decision to bring in Ms. Boylan as the Hallowell Lecturer was solid. About a year ago, Dr. Nagl and Mr. Stambaugh sat down with lists of possible speakers. Ms. Boylan was at the top of both their lists. They then contacted her and she decided to speak. Mr. Stambaugh said, “I think that if you look at the Principles of Community and the school’s mission, that we are dedicated to equality and a lack of discrimination, so in the case of Ms. Boylan’s visit I think exposing boys to a trans voice, to a nationally recognized trans voice, makes particular sense in our current political climate.”

Ms. Boylan is one of Haverford’s most published graduates and most well-known alums. Despite her status, some members of the community still feel the administration’s decision to bring her in was in bad taste. “I think it would be much more beneficial to the student body to hear the experience of an extremely successful person rather than the [writing] of somebody who is completely unknown,” said Henderson.

The argument that Haverford should use its extensive alumni connections to bring in someone more “successful” appears short sighted.

Haverford brings in its alumni connections on many occasions, including at last year’s distinguished alumni event, where a number of members of the business community spoke at great length. The Hallowell Lecture, by design, gives the school an opportunity to bring in someone who has dedicated their life to the literary arts.

If Haverford professes to want to expose students to as many viewpoints as possible, maybe it should try harder to bring educated conservative points of view into the classroom -- if not for their educational value, at least to open up to certain students who feel isolated by only being hit by the same side of the political spectrum.

By the same token, those students who talk about skipping the Jenny Boylan assembly need to give her a chance. “When she stepped away from the podium and spoke, I thought that’s where the true message came in,” said Pechet. “It was about acceptance, the feeling I had and a lot of the student body had was we weren’t very open to that and didn’t want to hear it.”

George Rubin ‘17 When Ms. Jennifer Boylan ’76 took the stage in Centennial Hall, there was more at stake for her than just keeping students awake. The night before the full school assembly, I watched Ms. Boylan confidently deliver a funny and emotional speech to an auditorium full of interested alumni and students, the segment of the community that was warmly anticipating her appearance. But the question still loomed: would a student body which hadn’t accepted her forty years ago accept her now?

A couple years ago, I went to an anniversary Lehigh/Lafayette game at Yankee Stadium.

Afterword, my dad and his friends went out, and my 75-year old grandparents and I piled onto a coach bus headed for the class of 1965 banquet.

I was probably the youngest person by 50 years, so understandably there was a disparity in political views. I was drawn into a long argument about climate change, which culminated with one person declaring I was being taught by the “commies.” The conversation opened my eyes to a segment of older, more conservative alums who feel that institutions like Haverford have become “too liberal.”

While Haverford has become more open and accepting, An Index poll at the time of the election showed that students were effectively split down the middle in political opinion. Sixth Former Will Pechet feels this split. “I think there’s a mix of liberal and conservative, historically its conservative, in terms of the student body, and

Hallowell Lecturer Jenny Boylan ‘76

JAMES BOWDOIN

Page 7

A mess of a cabinet

The Index

March 2017

Politics

John Comai ‘18

President Donald Trump’s selections for the incoming executive branch have mostly generated criticisms from Democrats and breaths of relief from Republicans. Several important picks and their backgrounds have not received adequate examination. While some of the more sensationalized and exciting pieces of news about the new cabinet have been widely circulated, Trump’s cabinet picks have not been confronted about their plans for sweeping privatization and austerity measures. Moreover, the incoming cabinet has not been required to face difficult questions regarding the ethical problems surrounding their ascent to power. The new administration is shaping up to be a mess of corruption, incompetence, and plutocracy. Take, for example, Betsy DeVos. DeVos, former chair of the Michigan Republican Party, was chosen to lead the Department of Education in the Trump administration, and has perhaps been one of the smallest targets, along with Elaine Chao, incoming Transportation Secretary, for Trump opponents. DeVos has spent her adult life championing charter schools, most of which operate for profit, and school-voucher programs, which direct public funds from public institutions into paying tuition for individuals to attend private schools. She has been a key figure in several PACs such as Great Lakes Education Project, American Federation for Children, and American Education Reform Council, all entities which lobbied aggressively for charter schools and school vouchers. Their impact was felt; according to The New York Times, “Detroit now has a bigger share of students in charters than any American city except New Orleans,” and “in 2009, it was found to be the lowest-performing urban school district on national tests.”

Anyone familiar with DeVos’ background would have serious questions as to why a woman whose career has centered around destroying public education in Michigan would be chosen for a post meant to sustain and develop public education on the national scale. Perhaps some of these questions may be answered with a look into DeVos’s finances. DeVos is a longtime donor of the Republican party. In fact, last summer, the DeVos

DONALDJTRUMP.COM

Donald Trump addresses crowd of veteran law enforcement officers

family, rich with the inheritance of Dick DeVos’ billionaire magnate father, showered Michigan Republicans with $1.45 million over just two months after they had blocked a provision in the state legislature that, according to The Detroit Free Press, “would have provided more charter school oversight in Detroit.” This is in a state with some of the weakest education regulation laws in the nation. Although DeVos has no experience in creating curricula, pedagogy, managing school agendas, or anything else that should be expected of an Education Secretary, her nomination makes perfect sense. Her subservience to the billiondollar charter school industry, as well as her partisan loyalty, make DeVos a “perfect” fit in the new administration.

Unfortunately, DeVos, a corrupt privatization hawk in her own right, struggles to stand out among her peers, a sea of feverish free-market

advocates. Congressional Georgia Republican Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee and one of the most vocal opponents of Obamacare, has his sights on dismantling not only the ACA, but also Medicare and Medicaid, and replacing them with privatized alternatives. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has long been a proponent of private prisons, which are infamous for their brutal conditions and excessive punishments. Sessions has a past of speaking and legislating in favor of privatizing state prisons in Alabama, having greenlighted them as attorney general of his state. With the top position at the DOJ, the President’s blessing (Trump is on record saying that “I do think we can do a lot of privatizations, and private prisons.

It seems to work a lot better.”), and the future need for detainment facilities for immigrants, Sessions is likely to do his part in increasing

federal contracting to prison corporations.

“More pay for play,” mused Trump at a campaign rally in North Carolina, referring to Hillary Clinton’s dealings with the government of Morocco. One would be hard-pressed to find a term more fitting of the President’s new administration. Investor banker Wilbur L. Ross’ pay was in the late seventies, when he bailed out several of Donald Trump’s failing Atlantic city casinos. His play is his nomination for Secretary of Commerce. Former Goldman Sachs banker Steve Mnuchin’s pay was his investments in Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago and Honolulu. His play is his nomination for Treasury Secretary. It is likely that Trump is fully aware of his hypocrisy. And he doesn’t care.

been. When America elected President Trump, they knew that they were hiring a business man at heart. President Trump sees a flawed system that loses money, hurts our economy, and risks the safety of the American people. He recognizes that it needs to be fixed, and President Trump addressed it like a business issue: straightforward, direct, logically and boldly, not unlike many business-minded leaders. But, what President Trump misunderstood is that political decisions are different than business decisions. They cannot be based only on logic, but also need to represent and respect the principles our nation was founded upon.

When America was founded, it was built on accepting immigrants from all over the world, from any situation, and embracing them into our county. Emma Lazarus wrote “The New Colossus” to raise funds for the construction of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It states, “Give me your tired, your poor,/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,/ The wretched refuse of your teeming shore./ Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” In 1883, these were the principles on which this country was built, and people would come to America in hope of achieving the American Dream and the first thing they would see was the Statue of Liberty, which stated our principles and ideals. President Trump’s travel ban conflicts with these principles and focuses more on a pragmatic solution.

Haverford is a diverse community with students and faculty that come from all around the world and from all different backgrounds. That is a part of the reason why Haverford is so great. Third former Obiada Elamin was born in Sudan and lived there until he was three years old, when he and his family immigrated to America. Elamin believes that the travel ban is wrong on principle, but he understands the ban from a pragmatic

perspective. He believes that there is no reason for these countries to be under the ban because there have been few terrorist attacks, if any, on America from a citizen of one of these countries, but he sees why the ban was implemented. Elamin says that since 9/11 there has been an enormous change in awareness of terrorism, especially from countries with a big Muslim populations. He understands that people are afraid of terrorism and that they want to avoid it, but instead of the travel ban, a better system could have been created. Elamin also shared that his family temporarily houses two Sudanians a year, so they can receive a better education and be more economically stable. His family has been doing this for years, and they are currently housing a person from Sudan. Usually, they are allowed to travel back to Sudan to visit home and then return to America, but with the new ban if the person leaves the U.S., they likely won’t be able to return.

To create a fair immigration policy, President Trump will need to combine pragmatism and principle. America used to be accepting of all people no matter what situation they are in or who they are, and that was our principle. But, times are changing, and America can’t fully base things off principle anymore. In 1883, there was no threat of terrorism. People would immigrate to America to live the American Dream and help the country, not terrorize it. As the world has changed, America has not, and it has stuck to principles. Making decisions based on principle alone is not enough in this complex world we live in. Incorporating a pragmatic view with principle is the only way to achieve success for the greater good. If President Trump can combine these two views, he will achieve an ideal immigration reform.

Trump’s travel ban: pragmatism vs. principle Matt Mignucci ‘20

Travel ban protest in Baltimore. January, 2017.

On January 27, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order that temporarily banned immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries: Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. This executive order caused distress for many Americans and also immigrants from these countries who responded with riots and protests because the media and public interpreted this as a Muslim ban. According to the Trump Administration, the motive of this executive order was to protect the safety of Americans and to prevent terrorism. Throughout President Trump’s campaign he stressed that one of his goals was to reform our country’s immigration system.

This ban can be seen in two lights: one based on pragmatism and one based on principle. Neither

BRUCE EMMERLING

is necessarily right or wrong, but each side has a different view on why the ban was appropriate or not.

Pragmatically, President Trump’s ban makes perfect sense. Our immigratigration system, as acknowledged by both parties, is flawed and needs to be fixed. In the early stages of immigration, our country loses money. The refugees are coming from war-torn areas and likely will not have the skills to earn a living in America unless they are educated. As a result many refugees will likely require public assistance from the government, which is funded by American citizens. Terrorism has created a lot of fear in the world, especially in America. It has also made the debate on immigration more complicated than it has ever

Page 8

The Index

Politics

March 2017

What will happen to the Democratic Party?

Toby Ma ‘20

as keeping their majorities in the House and Senate. In addition, the number of Democrats in state legislatures has decreased since Obama first entered the White House. Where does this leave the Democratic Party?

Perhaps the answers lie within the election itself.

Bernie Sanders, the main opponent of Hillary Clinton in the primary election, ran a grassroots campaign that was not supported by any SuperPAC and promoted more socialist-leaning ideas such as free health care, college education, and more regulation of Wall Street. Sanders’ supporters believed he received so much popular support during the primary because of his authenticity.

“When you saw Bernie Sanders and you saw his hair blowing this way and that way, you knew there wasn’t this stylist, this image maker,” says

Jenn Kauffman, the vice-president of Revolution Messaging.

Kauffman also argues that Sanders was “issuedfocused” by voicing his views to the electorate and forming a group of like-minded people. The Clinton campaign, on the other hand, focused more on questioning the suitability and attacking Trump on his ideas instead of focusing on policy in the weeks before the election.

In some ways, the campaign styles of Sanders and Trump were similar. Both are outsiders in their respective parties in terms of ideology, as they ran in stiff opposition to establishment candidates.

And although Trump’s ideas were sometimes outrageous or harsh, everybody in America knew what he supported: the wall, a Muslim ban, and bringing jobs back to America. And it seems that Trump is honest in what he believes, and is committed to “Make America Great Again.”

The other source of great upheaval in the 2016 election of the Democrats’ supposedly impregnable “blue wall” of states that included Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. On November 8, all three of the states went red, the first time since the Reagan Era in the 80s. Political analysts attribute this unprecedented loss to white-collar workers living in the Rust Belt.

These workers found Trump’s goal of bringing manufacturing jobs back to America more appealing and voted for him. The same can be said of previously blue-leaning miners in coal country, as Trump promised to save the coal mining industry and save many jobs.

Another factor that may have caused Clinton’s defeat is the gradual loss of Democrats in Congress and state legislatures ever since Obama took office. Stephanie Cutter, deputy campaign manager for the Obama campaign, notes that “as a party we didn’t pay enough attention to downballot races…We have to focus on down-ballot races if we want to invest in upper-ballot races.”

When running a campaign, it is much harder to win in a state with a supportive governor and legislature than in a state with a governor

and a legislature supporting the other party.

As Democrats across America lost seats in state legislatures and Congress, they only caused themselves more problems during the election.

The Democratic Party itself is also at a crossroads, where it could either pivot to more progressive ideas or stick to more traditional views. The primary elections between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders put these two factions at odds.

Although the Democratic establishment eventually won out, their victory was tainted by the release of thousands of emails by WikiLeaks between DNC staff that clearly suggest that the DNC was working against Sanders to ensure that Clinton would get the party’s nomination.

These emails caused uproar amongst members the Democratic Party and angered many Bernie supporters.

Despite these setbacks, it’s unlikely that a third party will replace the Democratic Party. Despite losing the election, Clinton still won the popular vote, and Obama left office with a 60 percent approval rating, so support of the party has not diminished. In addition, the Libertarian Party with candidate Gary Johnson and the Green Party with candidate Jill Stein failed to garner any electoral votes during the election, so there is no third party that could be competitive in the next presidential election.

Currently, progressive ideas are appealing to more and more Democrats across America, and it’s also telling that much of Sanders’ support was from younger people. As these people will become the future of the party, it’s possible that the party will gradually become more progressive..

It’s also important that the Democrats focus on local elections as well as the next presidential election in 2020, and have a have a popular and authentic candidate to run in 2020, or otherwise they are very unlikely to retake the White House in four years.

maintained. In the U.S., members of both political parties agree that infrastructure improvement is sorely needed. “The PA Department of Transportation says that 577 of the state’s bridges are structurally deficient, and that number is increasing by 100 per year, but the state doesn’t have the money to fix them. Nationally, there are over 86,000 bridges in danger of collapse,” Dr. Ehrhart said. “People laughed when Bernie Sanders suggested free college tuition of every student. But we’ve got all the money in the world

for submarines, aircraft carriers, tanks, drones, fighter planes, and other fancy trinkets that explode... I call it corporate welfare.”

Dr. Nagl defends our spending on planes.

“Air power is a combat multiplier… it allows for close air support,” Dr. Nagl said. “When I was in Iraq and heard a plane flying overhead, not once did I have to look up to check if it was ours or not.”

Air combat stands at the forefront of modern combat; planes can quickly take out infantry,

destroy stockpiles, and jam enemy radar. Middle School History Teacher Mr. John Suter said, “[Air combat is a] projection of force. One carrier strike force is stronger than most other country’s entire navy. Air superiority gives us freedom of movement and supplies.”

For many, a large military acts as a guarantor of safety and freedom. “America is a maritime nation. We have oceans on both coasts,” Dr. Nagl

Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez delivers keynote at Half in Ten Anti-Poverty Lunch. October, 2013

Four months after Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election, the Democrats are still in damage control, trying to oppose the new president as much as they can and planning the uncertain future of the party.

On November 8, the Democratic Party was certain that Hillary Clinton, despite her email scandal and numerous other setbacks, would ultimately prevail against Republican candidate Donald Trump. As the results from the polls poured in, however, Americans learned that Trump had won, and he had done so by sweeping the all-important swing states of Florida, Iowa, and Ohio, as well as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, breaking through the Democrats’ “blue wall.”

The Republican Party came out strong in the election, winning the White House as well

DONALDJTRUMP.COM

Nagl, Ehrhart, and Suter on military budget Obaida Elamin ‘20

When asked whether the U.S. Military is too large, Headmaster Dr. John A Nagl said, “It’ll be a short interview. No.” The U.S. Military is the largest in the world.

The U.S. operates 19 of the 36 aircraft carriers in the world. The government allocates around 600 billion dollars a year, which is more than the next thirteen countries’ budgets combined.

Half a million soldiers in 2015 served on active duty. We have 9,000 M1A1 Abrams tanks, the most advanced in the world. There are over 1,300 deployed nuclear warheads on destroyers and submarines, and there are 4,000 more in our stockpiles.

Some school community members believe that our military is too large.

History teacher and Marine veteran Dr. William D. Ehrhart said, “The F-35 fighter aircraft ranges in price (depending on the model) from 94.6 million to 122.8 million per aircraft. That is for a single airplane.” The F-35 Lightning II program has cost over 1.5 trillion dollars over the 55-year life of the program. It is estimated to cost 600 billion more. “The U.S. plans on acquiring nearly 2500 of these planes. Do the math. And that is for a single weapons system. One among scores,” Dr. Ehrhart said.

Dr. Ehrhart believes that our tanks are enough for our purposes even though Russia’s outnumber our 9,000. “I don’t envision a land war between the U.S. and Russia any time soon,” Dr. Ehrhart said. “Though with our current president, I guess I shouldn’t take any bets.”

The U.S. maintains an arsenal of about 6,800 nuclear warheads. Many believe that the nuclear arsenal serves as a deterrent to war. Dr. Erhart said, “Deterrence and actuality are not mutually exclusive… my guess is that we could do with many fewer nukes than we currently possess.

What’s the point of being able to blow up Moscow five times over? Once seems sufficient to me.”

Many people feel that the money wasted on the defense budget is better spent on healthcare or infrastructure. In Britain and other European countries healthcare is free and roads are better

@NAVAL_GRAPHICS

continued on page 11

Page 9

The Index

Sports

March 2017

Hockey team crowned Independence League champs P.J. Rodden ‘18

It has been nine years since the Fords Varsity Ice Hockey team last hoisted the Independence League trophy in triumph, but the team was destined to change that this season. Their hunger, confidence, and determination to win would set the tone for their final matchup against top rival Germantown Academy.

The student body crammed into the Skatium as they cheered for their classmates who had fought all season for this final opportunity. This was their one last shot at beating GA and returning home as champions.

And that’s exactly what they did.

Preceding the matchup, the Fords faced Germantown Academy twice during regular season matches. The two rivals pushed each other to their limits, but GA slipped by with the two wins against Haverford.

Reflecting back on these results, the Fords quickly amended the faults in their playstyle and looked ahead for another opportunity for revenge. “The guys were a little nervous having lost to GA twice, but I think after the win against Academy of the New Church, the team was feeling really confident about their chances of success” said Head Coach Dr. Daniel Goduti.

Dr. Goduti said, “The first time we lost to GA, we saw some things that the coaches and the players didn’t like, so we adjusted. The second time we played GA, we had made those adjustments and played a much stronger game against them, but we didn’t finish the job. We knew going into the third game exactly what we needed to do; focusing on coverage, passing, and shooting was what we just needed to execute on.”

One last chance at redemption was all the Fords needed. “I don’t think anyone on the team doubted that we could do it. But, obviously, history played a role in tempering their approach, but they dug in and fought.

The team was very serious about preparing and making a plan to beat GA. They knew what they needed to do,” Coach Dr. Goduti said.

In their final contention, the Fords entered the Skatium as underdogs but would soon leave with a different title: champions.

The start of the game was a familiar situation from the past. GA went up 1-0 and took the early lead. The Fords focused on what they had fixed in

The hockey team celebrates after win over GA

practice, and soon their aggressive playstyle -- fluid passing, high pressuring coverage, and capitalizing on open opportunities quickly -- translated its way onto the ice within the first period. The Fords closed this gap before their opponent ran off with any sense of momentum. “We started off the game strong which was something we tried to focus on all season,” said Fifth Former and forward Bobby Gibson. “Our passing was on point and our energy was up all game.”

Firing on all cylinders, Sixth Former and center Teddy Fitzgerald ended the only lead that GA would have all game. Within less than a minute of Fitzgerald’s goal, Fifth Former Aidan Mantelmacher fired one into the net, giving the Fords the upper edge at 2-1.

“Knowing how dangerous of a team GA was, we

didn’t sit on that lead. We talked about continuing to push, being conservative and careful but continuing to score goals,” said Coach Dr. Goduti.

The Fords were sure to continue the flow of goals throughout the game. The Fords quickly found themselves in full control of the game. Gibson pushed the Fords closer to the finish line with a stunning hat-trick accompanied by Fitzgerald scoring twice. Guarding the net, Fourth Former Carson Rooney stopped any attempts of GA scoring. The Fords maintained their lead while the minutes in the third period came to an end.

The clock hit zero, a buzzer rang, and Haverford cheered. Maroon jerseys rushed the ice to celebrate, and the team finished with an incredible 7-3 victory against their biggest rival.

“This was a great game for passing, teamwork,

MR. BILL HYLAND

and shooting,” said Dr. Goduti. “It was a real team effort, and I think that built upon itself in the previous games. We had gone into the final matchup with a momentous win streak so guys were just getting used to playing together, playing for each other, and trying to do things for eachother.

Ultimately this lead us to succeed as a team.”

Gibson said, “Next year I’m excited to accept the challenge of having a target on our backs all season, and I think we have the returning talent to compete for another championship.

We had a goal from the beginning of the season to win the the championship. It felt like a weight was lifted off our shoulders watching the clock hit zero in the championship game. It was a moment we will never forget.”

Wrestling finishes season strong Neetish Sharma ‘19

As the winter sports season culminated, the time came for teams to orchestrate a strong finish. The wrestling team has not disappointed.

The team had a string of recent crucial victories leading up to the 2017 PAISAA State

Tournament: a 3-1 record at the signature Buckley Duals, a 48-24 win over Germantown Academy, a 48-31 win over Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, and a 43-31 win over Episcopal Academy. All signs pointed towards success at

Chris Kober finishes his SCHA opponent.

Squash Nationals cont.

for all of you, past and present.”

It was and still is hard for the players to find the words to explain how the win felt, but Coach Khan put forth his best effort: “It is ‘ecstatic’ and

‘bittersweet’. Losing my father last October has been extremely tough. Focusing on overseeing the Haverford squash program has kept me going and winning the National title made me believe that

the state tournament.

Under the leadership of Coach Greg Hagel, the team exemplified its talent at the state tournament. Six wrestlers placed individually.

Fourth Formers Connor Tracy and Ryan

MS. DAWN BLAKE

I finally made my father proud -- the man who introduced me to the beautiful game of squash.

Capping off the season with the National title was a dream come true.”

Shepherd placed at third and fifth respectively.

Fifth Former Chase McCollum not only placed third this year, but also clinched his hundredth win last weekend at Malvern. Sixth Formers Chris Hervada and Daniel Grobman both placed sixth, and Chris Kober claimed the championship.

“I think they all fought really hard,” said Kober. “Everyone who was supposed to advance did in fact advance, and even kids who lost early on wrestled back and never gave up.”

The 2017 National Preparatory Wrestling Championships looked demanding as always, with the top teams in the country competing, such as Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary.

This year, however, Coach Hagel led some Haverford placewinners from the state tournament up to the spotlight.

At Nationals, two wrestlers placing as AllAmericans this year. Sixth Former Chris Kober, now a two-time All-American, finished in third place. Fourth Former Ryan Shepherd also earned All-American status with a 7th place finish at the tournament.

With the 2016-2017 winter season coming to a close, the wrestling team can rest easy knowing they competed and succeeded at the highest level of sport.

The Court Fords have etched their names into the Justi Cup and into history.

Page 10

The Index

Sports

March 2017

Basketball team looks towards next season P.J. Rodden ‘18

Haverford basketball is still on the rise. With consistent level of play from a talented starting lineup, the teamwork on court showed that they were all working towards one goal this season: winning the Inter-Ac. After hard-fought battles against Philadelphia’s top high school teams from the area, the Fords showed that they could compete against the best and win.

Following victories against top rivals

like Malvern Prep, Germantown Academy, and Episcopal Academy in the beginning of their season, the Fords struggled to carry this momentum into the early weeks of February.

After a crushing 100-98 point defeat in a 5th overtime against Germantown Academy, a top contender in the Inter-Ac, the Fords left Fort Washington deterred. The Fords then lost close games to Malvern Prep and Episcopal Academy.

Coach Rogers rallies the troops

Swimming cont.

When you train together you get an appreciation for the team, and it motivates you to keep working harder and swimming faster,” said Sixth Form Captain Chris Callegari.

“When we beat Malvern, I’ve never seen a group of people so excited in my life. We were all cheering and smiling it was just such a great experience. The teams worked and we kept coming close, but this year we finally clenched it,” said Callegari.

In front of the atmosphere at McQuillen pool, eight school records were set, including the 200 Medley Relay, 200 freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay, 100 breastroke, and 400 freestyle.

The Fords did not lose even one race throughout the meet. Callegari said, “A highlight race was the 500 freestyle. Despite being down the whole race, Brian Brennan pulled away and won.”

With the win over Malvern, the Fords

MR. JIM ROESE

proved their dominance in the 2016-17 Inter-Ac swimming league. Prior to defeating Malvern, they had emerged victorious over Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, and SCHA, and on January 31st, a victory over Episcopal Academy clinched the first league title for the team in 76 years.

The Fords did not stop there.

The team then traveled to Franklin and Marshall College for Easterns and claimed an impressive third place. Fifth Former Alex Boratto wowed the crowd with a record-breaking 48.86 seconds in the 100 backstroke, and the team of Sixth Former Charlie Ryan, Fifth Formers Boratto and John Nelligan, and Third Former Brian Brennan set a 400 free relay record of 3:03.67 minutes.

After winning their first Inter-Ac title since 1944, the Fords repeated their dominance at Easterns and look to maintain this momentum next year.

“We learned that we can never put our heads down,” said Fifth Former Bobby Stratts. “Shortly after becoming 16-1, we went on a three-game losing streak. For most of the team, none of us knew what was happening. Things just weren’t clicking as they did before. The only people that could try to help us out of that rut was one another and coach himself.”

The Fords learned from these losses and tried to improve upon their mistakes during practices. Under high pressure, the Fords fought to take control of the games. “One of our major problems this year was our ability to fight back,” said Fifth Form Head Manager Alex Ciardi. “Once we were down in a game, we stayed down, which when we got to the more competitive games in the Inter-Ac, it really hurt our title chances. This year we had a sophomoredominated team and will most likely carry the same starting five into the next season. They have learned a lot this year and are looking to take the title next year.”

The Fords looked past the results and reflected on the key moments that defined their season. “From last year the team showed major improvements but dipped after the loss to GA. One thing that worked very well was our teamstyle of play which kept us in games against opponents who were more talented than [we were]. The team learned a lot from this year, and next year it will show,” said Ciardi.

Off the court, the team became closer. Stratts

Track squad breaks records

Lleyton Winslow ‘20 The winter track team led a record-breaking season this year. The team was backed by a collection of talented runners well-trained by Coaches Mr. Luqman Kolade, Ms. Amanda Vos Strache, Mr. Brian Long, and Dr. Bill Ehrhart.

MR. JIM ROESE

Distance runners, especially Sixth Formers Anthony Calvelli and Nick Magnani and Fifth Formers Will Merhige and Mark Gregory, claimed medals in the distance events of the 800 meter, 1 mile, and 3K. Merhige even set a new school record for the 3K event at an incredible time of 9:37 minutes.

The team also had a skillful squad of sprinters, namely Sixth Formers Aaron Hudson, Carnell Walker, and David Hogarth, Fifth Former Isaiah Winikur, Fourth Former Dan Whaley, and Third Formers Daiyaan Hawkins. These runners placed highly in the following events: 60-meter dash, 200 meter, 400 meter, 4x2 and 4x4.

Fifth Former Sam Lindner ran the 60-meter hurdles, Fourth Former Peter Lemmon threw the shotput, and Fifth Former Lamont Lucas jumping the high jump, and Sixth Former Solomon Dorsey jumping the Triple Jump. The team also sported an impressive Distance Medley Relay, a mix between sprinters and the distance runners.

Since there is no Inter-Ac meet for winter track, the most important meets of the year are the Meet of Champs and the State Meet. The Fords managed to qualify runners for the 60 Hurdles, 60 Dash, 200, 3K, 4x2, 4x4, DMR, and Shot Put. At Meet of Champs, notable results featured runner Sam Lindner placing 3rd in the 60 Hurdle event.

At States, Sam Lindner broke his own school record in the 60 Hurdle event and placed 7th. The 4x2 relay team, comprised of Hudson, Winikur, Hawkins, and Walker tied the school record time and just missed earning a medal. The 4x4 relay team of Lindner, Whaley, Winikur, and Hogarth broke the school record by 2 seconds and placed 8th, excelling at the end of an already stellar season and showing great potential for even more success next year.

Moderation is probably the best practice in either case. Developing skills in and out of a sport are both very important.”

Playing more than one sport year round is also a great way to figure out how to overcome obstacles. Coach Murphy said, “I think for a athlete who is a star in one sport and maybe not the other, it teaches them how to be a better teammate and have a different role in a team.”

Dr. Rob Bell, a sports psychology coach

believes that being a multisport athlete helps you become a better athlete as a whole. In his article “Why Playing Multiple Sports-Not Just One- Is Best for Kids” on Parenting.com, Dr. Bell states, “They [athletes] develop a feel for any game they are playing.”

Many sports such as soccer, lacrosse and crew have rapidly transformed from a seasonal to a year-round commitment, but is it really worth the risk of injury?

In defense of multiple sports

Chris Kober ‘17

As sports grow more demanding of time, practice, and money, is it worth playing more than one?

Over the past twenty years, sports went from being a fun activity to do with your friends, to something students may put more time into than their schoolwork. Experts believe that playing one sport year round actually has negative affects on your body and mind. Although some people think that focusing on one sport will help advance their game and their collegiate prospects, it can actually drive athletes away from those

Baseball and soccer fields

Chris Kober ‘17

goals.

Sixth Former Davis Martinelli rows fall, winter, and spring crew. Martinelli said, “Crew is one of those sports that is physically and mentally tough on your body. Doing it year round is tough, but I believe that if I did play another sport in high school instead of Fall, Winter, and Spring crew, I would not be going to Hobart for Division I rowing.”

Some coaches do not see any downside to being a two-sport athlete. Head football coach and Associate Athletic Director Michael Murphy said, “I only see positives to it. Cross Training is a very positive for guys. I think it prevents onesport fatigue both mentally and physically. I also think it helps an athlete when they have to face different situations in games.”

Focusing on one sport year round exposes athletes to a greater risk of injury. Using the same muscles and motions year round causes an overstrain in the body which causes the higher chance of injury. In his article, “Single Sport or Multi Sport Athlete? Pros and Cons” on the MedCenter Blog website, Dr. James Slauterbeck writes, “In either case, too much of any one sport or too many sports played at one time puts a young athlete with an immature body at risk for a single traumatic injury or overuse injuries.

said, “I think what worked well for us over the season was that we really got to bond not only as teammates but as friends. Most of the schools in the Inter-Ac will be losing their seniors this year; meanwhile, we are coming back with the almost exact same people we had. This means a lot to us because we already know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and for us to improve upon small things to help one another would be unbelievable. We proved that this season we were title contenders against other teams in the Inter-Ac.” This season, the Fords dominated the InterAc in the opening weeks of their season and ultimately showed that they can compete with the best of them. The Fords will look past their results and towards a promising future of Haverford basketball. Stratts said, “A theme to bring into next year is courage. I think that we can really bring havoc upon teams who play us next year if we’re all locked in and giving our 100% each game.” Finding optimism and looking forward to next year, Stratts concluded, “It’s obviously disappointing to miss out on a chance to bring home a title for the first time in eighteen years, but for the team, it only makes us more eager to bring that title to back to Haverford. I encourage all of the student body to try and come out and watch the team get another shot at chasing history next year. Fords’ basketball will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Isaiah Winikur ‘18 competes at indoor meet

Page 11

The Index

Sports/Arts

March 2017

Athlete of the issue: Duncan Joyce ‘17 Neetish Sharma ‘19

The Haverford School squash team held an undefeated record in the regular season and claimed first place in the Inter-Ac league, plowing through all their opponents with grit, solid teamwork, and athletic prowess. The team leaders demonstrated responsibility and initiative in guiding the team to success and to a hard-earned national championship.

Sixth Former Duncan Joyce served as one of those leaders this year. A highly-ranked national player, Joyce served as a co-captain for the 20162017 squash season.

Joyce decided to take a proactive approach.

“As one of the team captains, I worked hard to keep people motivated and make them see

Duncan Joyce ‘17 in action.

US SQUASH

what we were working so hard for,” Joyce said.

“I just wanted everyone to push themselves as hard as they could during practice so that come nationals, no matter what happened, we would have no regrets.”

The expectations for captains are always highest so that they can set a standard for others on the team. Joyce knew that he had to uphold this high standard as a captain.“In order to get everyone to work their hardest, I had to work even harder.

I knew that if anyone saw me slack off, they would immediately stop taking the training seriously, which I couldn’t let happen,” Joyce said.

Over the course of season, Joyce made smart and bold choices. After a nail-biting loss last year at High School Nationals against Greenwich, Connecticut’s Brunswick School in the finals, Joyce recognized the need for a change. “Over the past few years we have always had the goal of winning nationals, but we didn’t use the practice time we had as efficiently as we could to reach our goal,” Joyce said. “I knew we needed to change after last year’s loss to Brunswick in the finals if we wanted to come back stronger and win this year.

Beginning with our new head coach Asad Khan, we made a point of working harder, smarter, and for longer.”

A captain guides his whole team, and especially when it comes down to tight matches, the pressure can be overwhelming. Joyce emerged more than ready for this challenge as he consistently pulled out close wins for the team. “School squash is different. There is a whole new atmosphere and

pressure present in squash,” Joyce said. “I do get nervous when I play for my team, but that only makes me play better. It is completely different when you aren’t playing for just yourself but are being relied on to pull out a win for the team.

This was the case especially when I had been waiting for that moment for five years, and knew that everything I had worked for came down to winning my match to clinch the National title for our team.”

As with most squash players, Joyce follows a ritual to deal with nerves on match day. “Before my matches, I am usually pretty excited. I take an ice bath every night during tournaments to loosen up the muscles and keep them fresh for the next day. I always wake up three hours before a match, eat two hours before, and get the venue one hour before. I sometimes listen to music to keep myself focused or to just calm my mind while also getting hyped up. I warm-up about 15 minutes before my matches, doing stretches and getting a good sweat going so that I am sharp from the very first point onwards,” Joyce said.

Next year, Joyce will play for Princeton University. He hopes to continue his squash career there as a key player. “I am really excited to be continuing my squash career at Princeton,” said Joyce. “It was my number-one choice since I was born, and I can’t believe I have four more years ahead of me to play for them. I can’t wait to keep playing team squash in college, especially after the incredible experience I have had playing for Haverford’s team.”

R&B, rap, reggae and pop, the genre Rihanna is most known for. In each of her seven previous albums, she has often taken on two or more genres and assembled songs that fuse different

styles.

Anti’s roots clearly lie in R&B with only a few excursions into Pop to bring the album into the charts.

While she has focused on making her previous albums palatable for the general public, songs that aren’t as catchy or generic fill Anti. Rihanna said in a 2015 interview with MTV that she “doesn’t want to perform a lot of [her] old songs because they don’t feel like [her].”

To fans of Rihanna’s older music, Anti appears to be from an entirely different artist. After listening to it a few times though, its themes of love, heartbreak, sex, and independence sound familiar.

Anti has a calm and relaxed vibe with spiritual melodies and highly emotional lyrics. The songs portray nearly every experience one can have with a sexual and or romantic relationship.

Anti journies through a relationship’s evolution and disintegration possibly brought forth from her torrid yet ephemeral, 2015 relationship with rapper Travis Scott who appears on the track “Woo.” To create all of Anti’s different sounds, Rihanna worked with fourteen different producers. Kuk Harrell worked on several different songs adjusting Rihanna’s vocals while others, such as Brian Kennedy and Daniel Jones, worked strictly with the beats.

The ascending melody of “Higher” describes falling for a lover who takes you “higher than you’ve ever been.” “James Joint” portray a heedless, intense love that compels you to abandon all that you’ve ever known.

“Desperado,” with its deep soulful beat, goes even further as a passionate plea to a lover to abandon all and runaway on a crime spree

Rihanna’s Anti - A real Rihanna album Jared Holeman ‘17

Rihanna’s eighth studio album, Anti, has defied expectations by tapping into a new, timeless musical form.

Rihanna’s forays into an eclectic mix of

Rihanna Anti album cover art

Military budget cont. said. “Our geography is extremely fortunate and most of our enemies are a long way away from us… so we have decided as a nation to maintain the peace globally to the extent that we’re able to.”

Our weapons arsenal includes all types of artillery, bombs, missiles but most notably nuclear weapons. Mr. Suter said, “Nuclear weapons were a deterrent when it was a ‘limited club’ of countries that had the bomb. Now as non-national organizations may get their hands on these weapons, it is completely different.”

According to to the Nuclear Doomsday Clock we are two-and-half minutes away from midnight, the closest we’ve ever been. With that threat ever present and nuclear weapons easier to acquire,

ROCNATION.COM

Duncan Joyce ‘17 holds Nationals trophy.

MS. JAMINE SHECTER

like that of Bonnie and Clyde. The passionate and rhythmic beat of “Needed Me” describes the passion, anger, and pain brought on by the recent relationship’s end. Yet the soft-spoken, almost remorseful tone of “Never ending” tells the story of woman who realizes she was in love only when her ex’s face becomes “unclear.”

Many of Rihanna’s songs that had little initial success went on to behave the most lasting impact on listeners like “Man Down”, “What Now”, “Unfaithful”, and “California King Bed”. Almost all of her slow popular songs, apart from “Stay”, experienced this long-term success with little impact on the charts. Her slower songs aren’t played late night at any parties but will still be heard long after her dance tunes have faded away.

With Anti, Rihanna tried for this long-term success. This album is filled with songs that, once discovered, will keep you coming back to them. She said “I just wanted to focus on things that felt real, that felt soulful, that felt forever [...] I wanted an album that I could perform in fifteen years, not any songs that were burnt out.”

Rihanna’s intentions were realized by a deeply soulful album that uses unusual beats and passionate lyrics to tell a story that resonates with all. We’ve already seen “Needed Me” and “Love on the Brain” start to make a resurgence months after release, and many of this album’s tracks will do the same.

many think that having more of them is essential, so countries think twice before putting in the launch codes. “I think the chances of nuclear war are increasing rather than decreasing, it saddens me to say.” Dr. Nagl said.

Mr. Trump’s third National Security Advisor pick Gen. H.R. McMaster comes from Philadelphia, having attended Valley Forge as well as West Point. McMaster and Dr. Nagl taught at West Point. Dr. Nagl said, “He is a remarkably good choice. He is smart, he is brave, and he has a strong moral center… He will work to preserve the national system and preserve our connections with our allies.”

Dr. Nagl and H.R. McMaster

MR. MIKE NOONAN

Page 12

The Index

Arts

March 2017

Silence. Scorsese is back.

Freddie Hammer ‘17

I had worries that, after the simplistic, static, and predictable plot of The Wolf of Wall Street, the great Martin Scorsese may be slipping.

I was wrong.

Silence, the epic which takes place in mid seventeenth-century Japan, is a historically rich experience that, despite the movie’s running time of 2 hours 41 minutes, doesn’t fail to keep you entertained. The film starts off with two Portuguese Jesuit priests (Adam Driver & Andrew Garfield) who hear rumors that their Christian mentor (Liam Neeson) has been possibly tortured to death or even worse, renounced God and his faith. The two then set off in search of the truth in Japan, which is extremely dangerous territory for a European Christian at the time.

The plot centers around the one priest (Andrew Garfield) after the two split up in the early stages. Everyone in Japan either worships him like a God, or wants to kill him for promoting an outlawed faith. Nobody stands in between.

He struggles during his journey to find Japanese Christians, who are always friendly, and the few times he succeeds, they don’t last very long before the Government finds out and imprisons them.

The once stable-and-bright priest finds himself battling his own sanity by the end of the film through the non-stop challenges that he faces.

All obstacles in his way throughout the entire film pressure him to renounce Jesus Christ and to adapt Japanese culture. But does he do it?

MS. JAMINE SHECTER

Liam Neeson in Silence

Though the plot was quietly intense, the historical aspect was more entertaining.

Missionaries were spread all across countries like China and Korea during this same time with limited conflicts, but Japan would not have it.

Learning about how adamant the Japanese were against Christianity was fascinating. If you are completely uninterested in the whole global-

Christian-development thing, Silence may come off as a long, actionless slog.

The Scorsese themes proliferated. The cinematography does not fail to expose the bright colors of the exotic setting, which is common in his style, and some Scorsese-plot themes were there as well. You can sniff out some similarities to his gangster movies, as major characters are

continually paranoid for the potential of being “ratted out” to the law. The characteristic of a “snake,” “snitch,” or “mule” is the worst ethic to have in the eyes of surrounding characters in a lot of his films. Scorsese proves with Silence that he is not quite finished.

dates back to Gucci Mane’s 2014 mixtape where he referred to himself as the “East Atlanta Santa,” most likely because he was actively involved in the sale and distribution of cocaine, known on the street as “snow.” When Gucci made the Return album public before Christmas in 2016, he attempted to showcase his return physically, musically, and lyrically. On paper, he had made all the correct moves. He recruited popstars and celebrities to work on his album, and changed his look and habits completely. While Gucci Mane’s body changed, his music has not.

Since Gucci’s incarceration in 2014, hip-hop and rap has transformed. At his peak, Gucci rapped about dealing drugs, drive-by shootings, and the mistreatment of women. Drake and other pop-stars have risen to the surface and pushed Gucci’s music from the spotlight because of its limited audience. Today, millions of teens can sing with along with Drake’s “buttery falsetto” on “Hotline Bling,” but few can relate to Gucci Mane’s “1st Day out tha Feds,” where

he raps about what life was like on the outside, after being locked in a prison forChris Wong almost three years.

Gucci teamed up with Drake to perform the song “Both,” --the most popular song on The East Atlanta Santa -- where they sing and rap about being under the influence of alcohol and marijuana at the same time. Again, Gucci failed to find a wide enough target audience that would appreciate his music. Luckily, Drake’s global following pushed the song onto the Billboard 100. “Both” is the only song on the album that is consistent with today’s top hits because it has Drake’s soft, mellow chorus and keeps a repetitive rap flow throughout the song. Gucci is known for rapping about excessive topics in one song, but he seemed to have pulled his act together for this three-minute and ten-second song.

The major problem with Gucci’s recent album is the small variety of beats used. In almost every song, the introduction starts with an alienlike, echoing beat that slowly fades into a fullstrength, clear beat. As the beat becomes clearer, Gucci begins to ad lib over a voice synthesizer hoping to give a mysterious vibe to his music. His album is certainly mysterious, but not necessarily in a positive manner. When Gucci first raps, listeners lose interest almost instantaneously. He still has that old school, intimidating rap feel, that no longer has a place in society. He recruited pop stars for collaboration in hopes to soften his hardened effect, but rarely do his features fit.

Gucci was so focused on getting material out to the world that he failed to create music that would catch people’s attention. Gucci is caught between two worlds and is actively trying to find a style of music that fits his lyrics. Before his incarceration his music was appreciated and so were his efforts to help younger, up-and-coming rappers. When three years passed by, his music was unable to change with the rest of today’s tops artist’s. Gucci’s music has skipped that entire growing faze, and he is now unsure where his music fits.

He continues to rap about a lavish and illegal lifestyle, only now his lyrics do not match up with his beats. Gucci rapping on a song with Drake compares to DMX singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” around Christmas time; the idea is logical, but the artist’s vibe does not match the content. Either Gucci has to keep his intensity and go back to creating pure rap and hip-hop, or he must change his lyrical content. Because his following has grown exponentially since 2016, he has the ability and the time to make a choice. He even has the opportunity to be a feature rapper or writer, like Sampha or Sia, but given his popular following, it is unlikely he would choose a role

Gucci gets another go Evan Haas ‘17

Gucci Mane’s release from prison in late May of 2016 provided him a second chance he never thought would come. After pleading guilty to federal drug and firearm charges, rapper Radric Davis (Gucci Mane) was sentenced to 39 months in prison. There, Gucci began his transformation.

Freed from prison five months early, Gucci Mane was already making headlines.

An unknown source hacked Gucci’s Twitter account for numerous hours and directed many disrespectful and controversial “tweets” at multiple famous rappers who once signed to Gucci Mane’s record label, 1017 Brick Squad.

Once Gucci walked out of prison, he was ready to get back on the music saddle; only this time looking nothing like he did before his three-year prison stay.

“I needed to see it. I’m glad they sent me where people [were] dying every day. I needed to see that,” said Gucci in an interview with the Charlamagne tha God on The Breakfast Club, a

YouTube podcast, a month after his release.

Prison changed Gucci. He looked so different that people were convinced he was never actually released, and a “Fake Gucci” was walking around the streets of Los Angeles. His once overhanging beer-and-codeine-filled gut was now flat and solid. His black gums and gold teeth were replaced with freshly-polished, porcelain veneers.

And most of all, his small millennial following skyrocketed after his quick collaborations with superstars Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, and Rae Sremmurd.

In just three months, Gucci Mane had compiled two rap and hip-hop albums called Woptober and Everybody Looking with features from 1017 Brick Squad-signed rapper Young Thug, Drake, Kanye West, and Memphis rapper, Young Dolph.

Both releases were unexpected, but with such big names associated with his music, songs from his albums jumped to the Billboard 100 within days.

Sadly, his most recent album The Return of the East Atlanta Santa, did not have the same effect as his previous albums. The title

Gucci Mane in 2010

JASON PERSSE

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The Index

Arts

March 2017

Film review: Hacksaw Ridge Bill Wu ‘17

Mel Gibson’s 2016 film, Hacksaw Ridge, is a shocking yet awe-inspiring war drama based on the real story of Desmond Doss, who served in the U.S. military in World War II. Doss (Andrew Garfield) is a humorous and likeable Seventhday Adventist Christian who refuses to even touch any firearm. As a conscientious objector, Doss plays a crucial role serving as a combat medic in the gruesome Battle of Okinawa.

The film is sure to move audiences nationwide, with a realistic portrayal of the life of an American soldier entrenched in the deadliest war in history. The first scene of fighting against the Japanese could only be described as hell on earth. Bullets fizz through the air, bombs explode left and right, and friends in the platoon fall by the hundreds. Beyond the artillery smoke, deafening cacophony of explosions and screams, and the sickening sound of bullet penetration, there is only one saving grace: Desmond Doss sprints across no-man’s land -- placing great risk to his own life -- to save his downed friends. The scenes are so real that

I flinched in my seat when the first wave of bullets rained down. As the audience watches the film, it is almost as if they are there — in the trenches, fortified in the bunkers, digging down into foxholes, right beside the platoon, braving every challenge and numbing themselves to the fear of death.

For history enthusiasts out there, Hacksaw Ridge satisfies the dream of experiencing the turbulent yet exhilarating years of WWII. Those who are fascinated by war will find this to be a brutal wake-up call to the horrors of warfare yet will ultimately be moved by the masterfully organized journey of a man whose courage and compassion knows no bounds. For everyone else, the film is still definitely well worth your time; with the expert development of plot, amazing acting, and detail-oriented construction of every scene, it is no wonder that it received numerous Oscar nominations and was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of its top-ten Movies of the Year.

KOP Mall outdoes itself Jack Molitor ‘17 King of Prussia’s claim to fame just got a little larger, a little more classy, and a little more accessible.

On August 18, 2017 the mall opened its expansion to the public, connecting the two older sections of the mall (the Court and the Plaza) and making it the largest mall in America. The expansion does not look like your average mall with a dinky food court and bland decor. Administered by M.A.I. Architecture, it gives an already upscale mall a boost in style and luxury.

The expansion keeps the eye entertained, not only with the fifty new stores it houses, but also with the sculptures that line the corridor and the extravagant ceiling that glimmers in the light.

Floor-to-ceiling windows give the mall corridor an open feeling, and a large seating lounge gives shoppers the chance to sit and relax. A concierge service desk tucked off to the side helps shoppers navigate America’s largest mall. “[Connecting the Court and Plaza] was difficult because the Plaza and Court are so distinct in their style and totally opposite,” architect Michael Budzyn said. “The Plaza is very formal and traditional architecture: symmetrical, ornate details. The existing Court is very contemporary. The concept was at both Plaza and Court to provide transition zones.”

Budzyn and his team of around forty other other contractors made a “transitional corridor” that has the same formal spatial character of the Plaza while using the materials the extension uses. This allows for a seamless transition from the Plaza into the extension that is not a strain on the shopper’s eye. The transition is seamless.

The Center Court is located in the middle of the expansion. Inside the Center Court, there is a large-seating area and foodcourt. Budzyn said, “The Center Court is the heart of the project, the grand space provides an urban, park-like gathering space with the floor-to-ceiling-faceted glazing, water features, large skylight and seating arrangements creates a space that is both modern and natural. I think the Center Court makes the shopper feel as if they are in a grand space, similar to a European squares with a sense of spatial opulence.”

Budzyn’s description of the Center Court as a type of urban park is not an overstatement. Underneath the raised ceiling, people sit and lounge on padded seats. The trickle of water from a fountain and synthetic grass on the perimeter of the centerpieces makes it feel like one could be outdoors. The raised ceiling gives the Center Court a spacious feel, as if nothing is above the shoppers but sky.

The fountain and synthetic grass only add to the outdoor park feel.

The exterior of The King of Prussia Mall’s new expansion.

Hacksaw Ridge official poster

The King of Prussia Mall expansion is a near immaculate example of the Modern Classical Style. M.A.I. Design uses glass and windows to their advantage, but they do not over-use them, a common mistake in modern architecture. M.A.I. was able to make the building exterior look modern, with its white

JACK MOLITOR

HACKSAWRIDGE.MOVIE

and silver exterior color and the glass and metal panel faceted front. However, it did not fall into the “busier is better” trap of modern architecture. The building’s basic design is simple and not an eye strain.

Because the frame of the building is so simple, it’s the detail that makes the expansion so beautiful. The transition from solid exterior walls to the glass and metal panels is well thought out. The fact that it occurs over a diagonal line makes the transition seem less abrupt than it otherwise would. The constantly changing ceiling design is another detail to pay attention to. The ceiling design changes, even if subtly, depending on if one is closer to the Court or the Plaza. The floor design changes as well, which has a positive effect on the shopper’s experience. Along the shopping corridors, the gold, beige, and silver floor is tiled with a glossy texture. The floor design fits in perfectly with the high-end retail stores that adjoin the corridor. In the Central Court and food court, the tiles become black which matches the dark coloring of Shake Shack, the most prominent and popular store at the food court.

The expansion is the crowning jewel of the King of Prussia Mall. It’s only fitting that the most luxurious and stylish part of the mall is the part that pushes it past Mall of America for the title of largest mall in the United States.

Budzyn says the goal of the project was, “to upgrade the entire mall experience and deliver one cohesive experience providing a ‘wow factor’ at the new connector but ultimately provide one center with one experience.”

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Arts

March 2017

Artist of the issue: Fourth Former Intel Chen Nick Chimicles ‘19 Most people take quick snapshots on their phones as they go about their lives, and neglect the true art of photography. One who has truly given himself to the artform is Fourth Former Yiheng Chen, better known as Intel. His photographic exploits were most recently recognized at the Photographer’s Forum competition in which he was a finalist in the best of high school category.

In our community, Intel utilizes his skills in his contributions to Pegasus, The Haligoluk,

Frontline News, and The Index.

“The basis of photography is art,” said Chen.

“Thus, photographs must be pleasing to view through proper combination of color, texture, layering and creative composition.”

Intel’s understanding of photography as an artform is best exemplified by his work. Through meticulous editing, his work redefines the dreary commonalities of life as lively novelties, influencing the viewer’s outlook to be more

positive and joyous, similar to the uplifting outlook that Intel carries with him every day. He achieves this by bringing more light and vividness to his work. Intel has the power to convert a forest of trees with no leaves to an exciting and inviting setting.

Chen uses technology and science to better his photography: “The world of camera accessories are equally if not more crucial to the creation of a photograph.” To better understand all the

Intel Chen preparing to take a picture at Krongberg Castle in Copenhagen

equipment available to him, Intel said that he had to “dive into the world of optics, electronics, chemistry and physics.”

In the future, Intel hopes to “continue photography as a hobby of his and keep learning the art, technique, and history of photography.”

He desires to “utilize his photography skills to benefit and help the people around him and society at large.”

INTEL CHEN ’19

Coloring outside the lines: Chance the Grammy Winner Connor Lees ‘17 “Kanye’s best prodigy / He ain’t signed me but he still proud of me.” No record label can sign Chance, not even Kanye’s label GOOD music.

He’s free from the labels. He’s independent. He’s Chance.

So who is Chance the Rapper, and what is his music like? Listen to a few Chance songs — start on Acid Rap or Coloring Book — and Chance comes across as the independent, mixtapemaking Chicago rapper he is. He blew up as the “acid rapper” with his Acid Rap mixtape on Soundcloud, and soon went from the mixtape rapper to winning three Grammys with his latest album Coloring Book.

Chance won “Best New Artist,” but he’s not new. He’s new for the Grammys, though. The awards criteria is rigged against independent artists. He never sold physical copies of his music under a record label, and for that, he was never able to win a Grammy.

“Coloring Book perfects the gospel undertones from Kanye’s The Life of Pablo: a new direction for rap music.”

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Chance the Rapper rapping at a show

So in a way, Chance winning “New Artist” was part apology, because Chance deserved at least a nomination in the past. But don’t say his Grammys were an apology gift: Chance deserved all three of his Grammys.

“It’s fitting that Coloring Book comes across as an autobiography of sorts: Chance shines as the kid coloring outside the lines.”

The electronic dance music group The Chainsmokers had a breakout year with hit song after hit song, and Drake’s Views had a case for “Best Rap Album.” But Chance the Rapper deserved to be Chance the Grammy Winner because he, no pun intended, took a chance.

Coloring Book perfects the gospel undertones from Kanye’s The Life of Pablo: a new direction for rap music.

Coloring Book is a gospel-influenced rap albuM, with trumpets, choirs, and God constant throughout. Chances goes from pure gospel in “How Great,” to rapping about God in “Blessings,” to rapping about God with a choir and Kanye (“All We Got”) to pure rap (“No Problem”). And yet, somehow, nothing feels forced. Chance takes risks, explores a new style, and, what gets lost in all of this, is Chance’s superior rapping ability.

It’s fitting that Coloring Book comes across as an autobiography of sorts: Chance shines as the kid coloring outside the lines.

Page 15

The Index

Arts

Intel Chen’s photo gallery

March 2017

Page 16

The Index

March 2017

The Outdex Editors: Andrew Lengel, Will Pechet Contributors: Chris Delaney, Mohid (unfortunately), Fig Gowen, Harper Weigle, Ed Garno, Tucker Matus, Shea Dennis, Tyler Dunbar, Joe O’Brien, Andrew Lengel

After witnessing the Class of 2017 sweep EA day and win the squash national championship, the Class of 2016 has finally understood its place.

After getting a few high-liked comments in a single night, Mohid Khan was allegedly heard screaming, all night, in the robotics lab.

The Class of 2017 has instituted a new tradition for future grades to follow: Senior Skip-First-Period-then-come-in-anyway Day The Index tried to interview Jenny Boylan but she declined because they endorsed Hillary Clinton, the lady who ruined her book signing.

After another impassioned gents club post, the scum who has been stealing from members of our community finally understood the error of his ways and messaged each of his victims asking for forgiveness. Lol jk of course he didn’t. He’s a jerk.

After being inspired by the SGLI assembly this morning, the entire school has arranged to “hike” up Belmont Plateau tomorrow morning at 4 AM to watch the sunset.

After a big championship game, the Fords are ecstatic with the outcome but are frantically trying to figure out: who is Brandon Gibson?