the index The student voice since 1888
The Haverford School · Haverford, PA 19041 · March 2020 · Volume 87, No. 6 · thsindex.org
School prepares for possible coronavirus disruptions
COMMUNICATIONS
The entire school gathers for Opening Day, September 4, 2019 Matthew Schwartz ’21 & Tyler Zimmer ’21
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ne measly snow day. That’s all we asked for. It snowed a few times, and we pressed our noses to the window panes, praying for the drop in temperature that never seemed to fully come. Every five-day week evoked thoughts of sleeping in, drinking hot cocoa, catching up
Laxmen hungry to play as underdogs
on television rather than biology. And now our wish of staying home from school may be granted. Sort of. We laughed about the coronavirus when it was far away. We were happy it wasn’t us once it reached Italy and the West Coast. But it’s inching closer, knocking on our doors,
whispering in our ears. What does it say about us that we only started stressing now that it reached Montgomery County? That’s a problem for another time. In the past few days, more and more cases have been popping up: first in Delaware County and most recently two more in
Montgomery County, according to the Governor’s office. Last Wednesday, March 4, the upper school faculty met to discuss possible ramifications of COVID-19. From March 9 to con’t on p. 14
Tyler Zimmer ’21
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pring is here. Mornings begin earlier and the days last longer. This is especially true for the nation’s 23rdranked Fords lacrosse team, whose spring season is defined by early morning lifts and shooting sessions. “We’ve done a lot,” Coach Brendan Dawson said. “The guys work every day with [Strength and Conditioning Coach Mr. Matt] Rosko.” Though grueling and strenuous, Sixth Form leaders took this training in stride. con’t p. 16
Tennis, p. 20
JACK KIRKPATRICK ’20
Two Fords face-off experts line up during practice on March 5, 2020
JACK KIRKPATRICK ’20
Robotics, p. 5
COURTESY OF TYLER RIPPIE
Obaida, p. 6
MS. VICTORIA KREIDER
Photographing Philadelphia, p. 12
RYAN RODACK ’22
the index · editorial
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the index 2019–2020 Staff Yan Graf ’20 Editor-in-Chief Ryan LaRocca ’20 Editor-in-Chief Toby Ma ’20 Editor-in-Chief Daniel Chow ’20 Managing Editor Matthew Schwartz ’21 Managing Editor Tyler Zimmer ’21 Managing Editor Obaida Elamin ’20 Design Editor Quinn Luong ’22 News Editor Jeffrey Yang ’22 News Editor
March 2020
editorial Coronavirus threat: remain vigilant...and well informed
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t is no secret that coronavirus cases have recently appeared in the Keystone State. And in light of the virus’s spread so close to home, the content in this issue might seem trivial. Why should you care about math sectioning? Why should you care about the upcoming course registration? And why should you care about the robotics team’s recent success? The answer is quite simple: life goes on. Admittingly, the coronavirus continues to be a deadly virus that we should seek to avoid. And undoubtedly, we should take
measures—constant hand washing, for example—to avoid contracting it. But, until the time comes that Haverford closes indefinitely, we all should remain engaged and immersed in this wonderful community. The education system only affords us four years in the upper school. We are lucky to spend any time here at all. There exists no other secondary institution in the country quite like this place. And so, we must capitalize on and enjoy every moment we spend here. In such a sensitive time, we here at The Index are still doing our part to maintain a
well-informed student body. Within this issue, you will find myriad articles that extend to a wide range of topics. You needn’t read every article. You needn’t read more than one. But, by delving into this issue, you will enhance your sense of awareness. At a time during which students question if they will be in school next week, your life should have some normalcy. That normalcy can be obtained by reading about the place that is a second home to you, the place that holds a special place in your heart: Haverford.
Matt Mignucci ’20 Features Editor Agustin Aliaga ’21 Academics Editor Acting Off-Campus Opinions Editor Vincent Scauzzo ’20 Neighborhood Editor Cole Stecker ’20 Campus Opinions Editor Jake LaRocca ’22 Sports Editor Mitav Nayak ’22 Sports Editor Ryan Rodack ’22 Arts Editor Jack Kirkpatrick ’20 Staff Photographer Sebastian Bilash ’20 Staff Photographer Ms. Emily Harnett Faculty Advisor Mr. Thomas Stambaugh Faculty Advisor CONNOR PINSK ’23
The Index is a student-run publication of the Haverford School that does more than bring news: it provides the diverse perspectives of the Haverford student body. It is an outlet for student writers to take stands on issues they deem important. It chronicles the daily struggles and accomplishments of the Haverford community. The Index also provides a forum for discussion of pertinent issues, such as student culture, academic policy, and Haverford’s place in world affairs. The Index presents new ideas and aspires to influence constructive change. All opinions and viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of The Index or the school. The Index is designed and produced digitally. Photographs may be retouched. Submissions and letters to the editors regarding any and all articles are welcomed at index@haverford.org. The Index, a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, is composed using the applications of Google Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud. Its surveys are conducted via Google Forms and are advertised on email to current Haverford students. Graphic designs are created by Index staff via Canva. Southern Dutchess News prints 200-400 copies of each issue, and its editorial staff distributes them in the Upper School on the day of release. The Index serves the needs of a total school population of 1152 community members, consisting of 952 students and 200 faculty and staff members. Contact The Index: 450 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041 index@haverford.org Twitter: @Haverford_Index Volume 87, No. 6 - March 12, 2020
The 2019-20 Editorial Board (left to right): Editor-in-Chief Toby Ma ’20, Managing Editor Daniel Chow ’20, Editor-inChief Ryan LaRocca ’20, Managing Editor Tyler Zimmer ’21, Managing Editor Matthew Schwartz ’21, Editor-in-Chief Yan Graf ’20. Missing: Design Editor Obaida Elamin ’20
Letter from the student body president Vincent Scauzzo ’20
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entlemen, At the time of writing this, I have just returned from a ninehour rehearsal for this year’s musical, Carousel, in which I am making my theater world debut. I don’t have a very large role--I just play one of the townsfolk who sings and dances with the rest of the fellas--but I must say, I have been having a great time. It says a lot about our school that a student like me can be a part of all three arts programs at the same time: the play, Glee Club, and Mr. Fox’s painting class. It shows what we as a school value, and how the staff supports our curiosity and endeavors. I try my best to control what I can and that means prioritizing the things I enjoy, especially when the rest of the world would rather I didn’t. It means going down to the art room during my free periods and running an extra lap on the track at the end of the workout to finish on a nice round mile count. Right now, it might seem like the bad things in the world are closing in on you, that every ping from your news app signals dread and imminent disaster. I am here to tell you not to worry: have faith in yourself and the people around you, control what you know you can control, and
JAMES WANG ’21
Student Body President Vincent Scauzzo ’20 do not stress about what is independent of this as self care. you. If you take care of yourself, then you Do this, but do not think for a minute will be happy, and with happiness in yourself that you are being selfish. Instead, think of comes happiness in others.
the index · news
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March 2020
news Inside the course registration process
AGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21
Jonny Sonnenfeld ’20
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s course selection comes around, many of you—for the first time—need to make a real choice regarding which classes you will take next year. At spring conferences, your advisor will hand you a massive book full of course offerings. This catalog can be overwhelming. And so, there are several key things to keep in mind when scheduling your courses. First: course acceptances are completely impartial. Head of the Upper School Patrick Andrén said, “We look at when the order came in and if you missed the deadline, but a lot of it is a random draw; that is the most equitable way to do it.” Though some academically gifted students may find this system displeasing, it ensures every student has equal opportunity to take every class. For example, if you really struggled in U.S. History but are fascinated by government and politics, you are just as likely to get into the class as someone who flew through U.S. History. In other words, you needn’t stress about your transcript; it will have
only some effect on your future non-honors courses at Haverford. However, when trying to enroll in an honors course, a minimum grade obtained in a previous class may be required, such as at least a B+ in Precalculus in order to get into Statistics* or an A- to get into most other honors courses. Second: remember as well that nothing is set in stone. As everyone knows, there exists a twoweek period at the beginning of each semester where you can test out your new classes and make sure you really want to take them. To be blunt, this short period is probably not long enough for you to really figure out whether you want to stay in a class or not. Take some advice from Ms. Heather Stinson, one of the three college counselors. “It’s always worth a conversation: we would never turn you away. Talk to your teacher, talk to your college counselor, talk to your advisor. [But remember] it’s different if it’s a semester-long class versus a year-long class,” Ms. Stinson said. “If it’s a year-long class, you have so much more time to cali-
brate, so it’s less of a push. With the semester-long class, it’s a little more tight. However, I find everything can be solved with a little transparency.” Third: keep in mind when scheduling your courses that you cannot be too upset if you do not get the class you wanted. Mr. Andrén offered his perspective on this disappointment. “The final step of course selection is when things are actually scheduled,” Mr. Andrén said. “When Ms. Skidmore works to develop the schedule, conflicts arise and she will reach out to any pertaining student to select a different course.” Mr. Andrén also said that, like any other academic institution, Haverford has inevitable limitations. “As a small school, we pride ourselves on being able to do lots of things,” Mr. Andrén said, “but one thing we can’t do is say, ‘Okay, there are X number of kids who want to take class Y, let’s just open up infinite sections of class Y.’” Both Mr. Andrén and Ms. Stinson insisted that not getting the classes you signed
up for can be a positive thing. “Some students are hesitant to pick [unfamiliar classes] because they fear new opportunity, but taking some academic risk is the name of the game,” Ms. Stinson said. Mr. Andrén has a similar perspective, noting that “maybe you don’t get your first elective, but you end up in a class that you didn’t necessarily think you were going to have a passion for or be something you really enjoyed.”
If you do not get what you want, you will find a class equally if not even more interesting. If the stress of course selection is hitting you hard, just relax and know that the process is equitable and flexible, and that if you do not get what you want, you will find a class equally if not even more interesting.
Students eager for more IC Day opportunities Quinn Luong ’22
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n Wednesday, February 19, the upper school held the annual Intellectual Curiosity Day, where students engage in day-long experiential, interdisciplinary, and thought-provoking activities. Given a respite from daily lessons in traditional classrooms, students interacted with new environments, studied with faculty members they otherwise might not have known, and reached outside their own interests to explore new ideas. Activities ranged from deciphering Black Mirror to traveling to Chinatown. This year, IC Day would have not been possible without the major support of Upper School Math teacher Mr. Nathan Bridge. Running around campus during the busy day, Mr. Bridge was at the forefront of the program’s success. “It was fun. I got to float around, help with logistics, attendance, and pictures. I was able to witness activities in action and it was really inspiring to see so many students engaged,” Mr. Bridge said. In terms of activity selection, former students designed an algorithm that gave eighty percent of students one of their top two choices in IC Day activities. Many students were pleased they had the opportunity to participate in their favorite activities.
While most students were satisfied with their given choices, a lot of work is necessary prior to student selection to make it happen. Funding is often a vague factor: Does “A Day in the Life of an Artist” get less funding than “Escape the Room?” “Due to the nature of the activities, there are some that required more of the IC budget allocated to them. However, any activity can apply for more funding,” Mr. Bridge said.
“The energy levels around the campus, students and teachers, speak for themselves.” MR. NATHAN BRIDGE Regardless of small dilemmas, the day was largely regarded as a success. Mr. Bridge sent out a school-wide follow-up survey, and the statistics speak for themselves. Out of 256 responses, 93.7% of students want more than one day of IC Day, demonstrating that many students enjoyed the experience.
MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH
Photographing Philadelphia group at the Second Bank of the United States in Old City, February 19, 2020 However, is it realistic to have more IC Day this year evidently showed the than one day of IC Day? overwhelming support for the excursions “The energy levels around the campus, and the further intellectual curiosity our students and teachers, speak for themselves,” community desires. Mr. Bridge said. “Although it would take Mr. Bridge said, “Our top priority is considerably more logistics, funding, and a whatever we’re doing with IC Day forth, is lot more thought.” that we’re doing it right.”
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the index · news
March 2020
Together, we are #2Strong
DR. MIKE NANCE
Jack Cloran and fellow basketball fans cheer a 69–25 win over George Washington Carver, December 6, 2019 Sam Reisbord ’20
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ebruary 7, 2020 seemed like just another day at the office for Jack Cloran. As hundreds of students, teachers, parents, and alumni poured onto the second floor of the fieldhouse to support him, Cloran appeared to be more occupied by defensive strategies than anything else, talking with his team and perfecting handshakes with his friends. When Luke Kania ’19 announced the names of the starting lineup for Senior Night against Germantown Academy, Cloran moved around like he was ready to take the opening tip. Just three months prior, when the news of Jack’s cancer diagnosis shocked the Haverford community, Sixth Formers walked the halls with stricken faces. Nobody spoke. Students left class to call their parents. “It all made me really uncomfortable,” Cloran said. “I wanted everything to be as normal as possible. That [extra attention] weirded me out.” Indeed, even though the stellar wide receiver, college basketball fanatic, and rowdy student-section leader had always been wellknown at Haverford, he had entered a new kind of spotlight. His public appearances were limited. Chemotherapy made it difficult to leave the home. Still, Jack’s peers rallied around him; student morale rose and the attention died down. But Jack’s tumor grew significantly in those months, and, on February 11, the leg was scheduled to be amputated mid-femur. All the attention came rushing back. The game happened.
to get the gym as packed as possible for his classmates.” Chris Tsetsekos was hitting the wall with other lacrosse players around the time. The group had to stop midway through. “There was a strong sense of gratefulness for Jack being in our lives and it made us feel something,” Tsetsekos said. “It’s hard to describe, but I think we all just needed a moment to take in the reality.” That sentiment spread quickly throughout the school. Proof came the following week; Cloran’s sudden return via social media was a spectacle. A surprise post of his senior year football highlights, captioned “thank you,” was viewed over ten thousand times. His picture with 76ers shooting guard Matisse Thybulle
went viral. Just a few days later, a different picture with Saint Joseph’s guard Ryan Daly (whose 20.2 points per game is currently tied for 20th in the nation) reached similar heights. “When I saw him I just told him ‘good luck’” Daly said. “But if I could say something now I would definitely tell him he’s in my thoughts. He’s got all of Delco praying right now.” “A lot of people think he leans on us, but he’s really been the one setting the tone,” Sixth Former Ben Murphy, a close friend of Jack’s, said. “We’re feeding off his energy.” Haverford, and especially the class of 2020, need Jack Cloran more than he needs us. “When his friends are over or at the
hospital, he just gets such a lift from them being in the room,” Mr. Cloran said. “He’s a community guy, he’s a team guy. When he’s around his friends and his teammates, he’s just so happy. He just thrives off of being with the guys he loves.” So does he need us? Or do we need him? Perhaps we’ll never know for sure. Perhaps the answer exists somewhere in the universe, and we, as a class, will find it one day. As of right now, it’s Schroedinger’s mentality. Both are true at the same time. Personally, I think the answer is irrelevant. I just look back on that game with admiration—for both Jack and my classmates—equally.
“He just wanted to be Jack Cloran, the kid, the student, and the athlete.” MR. STEVE CLORAN
“He just wanted to be Jack Cloran, the kid, the student, and the athlete. He never wanted to be that-kid-who-has-cancer,” Upper School Learning Specialist Mr. Steve Cloran, Jack’s father, said. “Our goal was
Jack Cloran (center) at the 69–25 win over George Washington Carver, December 6, 2019
DR. MIKE NANCE
the index · features
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March 2020
features The Cavalry rides to tenth state title, charge on to Worlds
Robotics team members deliberate strategy at the Eastern PA State Championships at Norristown High School, February 29, 2020
MS. VICTORIA KREIDER
Mitav Nayak ’22
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ate on a Monday night in the basement of Wilson Hall, “the Cavalry” is hard at work. Three or four boys sit in the rectangular field, studying their latest creation and seeking their next challenge. A banner of maroon and gold hangs behind them: “2019 State Champions, 2018 State Champions, 2017 State Champions...” Soon to be added: 2020 State Champions. The streak seems endless, the accolades countless. But the Cavalry remains motivated: they continue their quest for dominance. On February 29, the Cavalry secured their tenth-straight Pennsylvania State Championship. This impressive record certainly reflects the talent on the robotics team, but such a feat cannot be accomplished without an overall culture of excellence. “We always put in a lot of hours, more hours than most teams do,” Sixth Former Daniel Chow said. “We also just have a culture of passing down knowledge from previous years, and that collective learning is what makes our team so strong.” The idea of sharing strategies and insight from one generation to the next is especially important in robotics, which relies heavily on knowledge. Sixth Former Toby Ma said, “In the early season — before Winter Break — we don’t need to worry a lot about States yet, because we’re still in the local competitions. So during that time, we can work with the freshmen teams or the younger kids to make
sure they learn the same ideas we’ve been using for the past three or four years.” On the technical side, Ma believes consistency has allowed the Cavalry’s robots to dominate. “The team is really dedicated to highquality building,” Ma said. “When we’re building the robot we’re taking care of how the robot is constructed, making sure every subsystem is built correctly, and we are also testing throughout the entire building process to make sure [it] works consistently.” Sixth Former Aditya Sardesai attributes success to the team’s growth, as well as its ability to maintain a competitive mindset. “Because we’ve had three years to learn as a team, we can now do more advanced things. We can do certain programming stuff, or mechanical stuff better than we could three years ago, but I think the way the team works as a whole of always pushing to be the best hasn’t changed,” Sardesai said. This dedication highlights the Cavalry’s competitiveness. As they seek improvement, the Cavalry still tries to foster a well-balanced environment. “We’re really light-hearted, but we’re also serious in the sense that we always want to win everything,” Chow said. “The team has always had a culture of wanting it all, but I think now more than ever we’re hunting for that world championship. We’ve always been successful every year, but the world championship has eluded us. Each year we don’t get
it, we want it even more.” The World Championship is set to take place in Louisville Kentucky, toward the end of April. This year, the Cavalry feels ready to take the title.
“We’ve won sixth divisions [at the World Championships], but the title of being World Champion has evaded us in the past,” Sardesai said. “So the goal — as it is every year — is to bring a world championship back to Haverford.”
A glimpse inside the new middle school
DR. JAY GREYTOK
WRT
the index · features
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March 2020
Obaida Elamin juggles school and work Austin Zhuang ’22
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or many, the weekend is a time to relax and enjoy a break from work, but Sixth Former Obaida Elamin’s Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for making money. While he has held a few jobs in the past, Elamin’s main focus now is working for Philadelphia’s new food delivery app Relay Applying was one of the easiest aspects of his work so far. “For this job, I just threw an application out there. It was on Indeed, and looked nice, so I punched all the information necessary but never finished the form. Nothing happened for a while, but someone from the company called and asked if I still wanted the job. I said yes, and they helped along the process. It was really easy to finish up and apply,” Elamin said. After the process, Elamin began working soon after. “I started around three weeks ago during the four-day weekend,” Elamin said. “I deliver food in Center City, and when I’m doing so, I’m out biking with a big neon green backpack.”
flexible, I can decide not to go to work if I really need the time,” Elamin said. “Saturday I get up at around 9 o’clock and leave my house at around 9:30,” Elamin said. “After work I have soccer practice from 6 to 11, and I’m pretty beat up after.” With this strenuous weekend schedule, Elamin finds his motivation in future plans.
“Right now, I don’t know where I’m going to school yet, and there are a lot of things hanging on that. Having spare change for a rainy day or whatever happens, like if I end up in a school that was not one of my top choices or have to pay for college, is a big reason why,” Elamin said. “I just want to be ready for anything that might happen.”
Still, Elamin firmly believes working a job can benefit everyone. “I think it’s really valuable for anyone, especially a highschooler, to get experience working,” Elamin said. “It’s the most real-life thing you can do.”
“It’s the most real-life thing you can do.” OBAIDA ELAMIN ’20 “It’s really interesting and I actually enjoy it a lot. I haven’t spent a lot of time in Center City, so I enjoy going around to the different neighborhoods,” Elamin said. Elamin’s job, while rewarding, forces him to strike a balance between his school, work, and personal life. “My weekends have been pretty busy the past few weeks. But because the job is so
MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH
Obaida Elamin ’20
A look in the mirror at Reflections Patrick Corcoran ’22
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ew communities have the opportunity to connect with its members like we can. Reflections are an important staple of school culture, serving as a moment of rest where students and teachers can learn more about themselves from the people they see every day. However, students and faculty don’t always feel this way about every Reflection. Fourth Former Will Levinstein said, “Reflections are very hit or miss. I feel as if I either leave thinking ‘that was a waste of time’ or ‘that was great’—there is no in between.” Levinstein believes that the school should take more consideration into pick-
Students and faculty in Centennial Hall
ing the Reflections so that less powerful ones don’t bog down their significance to the community. Some students see Reflections as an opportunity to see things from a different perspective. “I think the Reflections allow the students to hear someone share their point of view and allows us to apply these scenarios to our own lives,” Third Former Julian Caesar said. “No matter if the Reflections are interesting or not, we should all listen and pay a close mind to the information being shared to us and make [our] own lives better.” The fascinating thing about Reflections isn’t that four hundred boys can sit and listen
intently to what one of their own has to say, but that they can resonate with any member of the community through their authenticity and personality. Fourth Former Bowen Deng said, “You still have serious and personal reflections like Will Boyes or Chris Tstetkos talking about what his nationality means to him, but then you also have Mr. Ator talking about his experience as a bartender and what it means to be a guest at a restaurant, which I really enjoyed.” Deng explained that he likes the informal and truly reflective feel of the year’s series. “Overall, I guess I like the addition of
MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH
more “relaxed” Reflections where the issues talked about aren’t really that serious or per-
“I like the addition of more ‘relaxed’ Reflections where the issues talked about aren’t really that serious or personal.” BOWEN DENG ’22 sonal, where it’s just Mr. Ator getting his opinion out there based on his experience,” Deng said.
the index · academics
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March 2020
academics Austin Zhuang ’22
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ooking for a place to work in Wilson Hall is easy; finding a quiet space is a challenge. Whether it’s during a free period or flex, students are always searching for places that allow them to focus and work efficiently. For some, however, these spaces are dwindling in number. “I feel like there aren’t enough spaces be-
“Depending on what you want to work on and how much quiet you want, you can go to different places to fit your needs.” CALEB CAVAZZOS
Students content with community spaces The second floor “Street,” empty on a quiet Sunday cause we only really have the Big Room, the to work on and how much quiet you want, library, or sometimes a couple pods to work you can go to different places to fit your in silence,” Fourth Former Andrew Johnson needs,” Fourth Former Caleb Cavazos said. said. Others believe the school has the right idea on the topic of quiet spaces — the only “There are enough issue is the execution of that idea. places that were de“There are enough places that were designed to be quiet.” signed to be quiet, but in reality those areas are quite loud and difficult to stay focused CHASE HERZ ’22 in,” Fourth Former Chase Herz said. Regardless, many still believe there are enough places that offer the seclusion they This statement rings true for others as need to work. well. “I feel as though the quiet spaces are “The quiet spaces are definitely there, pretty good. Depending on what you want and people usually go to two to four spots
The Big Room, looking its best on a recent Sunday
AUSTIN ZHUANG ’22
across the Upper School,” Fourth Former Patrick Corcoran said. “If a new group of kids starts hanging out at one of your spaces, there are always other quieter areas.” While some are not happy with how loud the working areas of Wilson Hall have become, most agree that on a given day and time, there will always be places to settle down and focus, even if these places differ from day to day. This inconsistency has not bothered many, however. Most students conclude that the school has given students enough quiet space to use their free time efficiently and effectively.
AUSTIN ZHUANG ’22
the index · academics
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March 2020
Dr. Nagl to teach Modern Middle East next year Jingyuan Chen ’23
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ays in March slowly slip through. Before students look forward to the upcoming Spring Break, they need to make one major decision concerning the following school year: course selections. Some students noticed a change made to history elective Modern Middle East History, previously taught by Upper School History teacher Mr. Timothy Lengel. Starting in the second semester of the coming academic year, the course will welcome its new instructor: the Ninth Headmaster of the Haverford School, Dr. John Nagl.
“In his heart, he’s a teacher.” MR. PATRICK ANDRÉN “One of the conversations Dr. Nagl and I had was just how much he missed being in the classroom,” Upper School Head Mr. Patrick Andrén said. “In his heart, he’s a teacher. Now that he is finishing the middle school project, and we have a completed strategic plan coming out, he found himself with a little more time, so next spring he is going to be offering a senior elective on the modern Middle East.” Due to recent changes in schedule arrangements, Mr. Lengel will not be able to teach this class. “I found that to be an appalling lack in our curriculum,” Dr. Nagl said, “especially considering the importance of the Middle East and the fact that we’ve had that course for a while Not only is Dr. Nagl an expert in international relations, he also served as a military strategist in fields of counterinsurgencies, specifically on strategies in the Middle East.
His professional experience in both the Iraq War and the Gulf War will certainly aid him in teaching this course. “It’s a course that’s going to involve a bunch of my personal experience in the Middle East, and I find that it takes a more talented teacher to bring to life events of which an individual does not have personal experience,” Dr. Nagl said. “My question to myself is: can I use my knowledge and bring to life an important part of the human experience to people who have not experienced it?” Dr. Nagl will also make some adjustments to the course based on Mr. Lengel’s syllabus for the course. “I don’t know if I’m going to continue to do the country studies that Mr. Lengel did,” Dr. Nagl said. “I will spend more time on the conflicts of the Middle East. The ones that I know personally: Desert Storm Operation, Iraqi Freedom Operation, and Operation Enduring Freedom.” Another major change to the course is the textbook choice. According to Dr. Nagl, some of the texts used in the course will be selected from his personal work. “It is highly likely that I will use my book, Knife Fights, as one of the core texts of the course. I will be surprised if we don’t spend some time with The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, which I helped to write, Dr. Nagl said. “I’m reminded what a thrill it was for me at West Point, to have one of my professors sign his book, and how cool it was to learn from somebody who had literally written the book.” Meanwhile, students may experience an innovative learning experience. In order to fit Dr. Nagl’s busy schedule, the course will apply “asynchronous teaching.” “I was grateful to have Ms. Snyder’s help
COMMUNICATIONS
Gary Gao ‘21 and Daniel Hou ‘22 at November’s Math League Olympiad
Math students push beyond curricular limits Xiaolong Huang ’21
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athematics is generally acknowledged as one of the most challenging high school sub-
jects. It includes tedious equation solving, nerve-racking critical thinking, and for those
who take it to high levels, time-consuming work. Frustration makes most people not even want to see a single equation after mandatory high school classes. If you go to Dr. Gottlieb’s classroom during the Calculus II* class, you’ll notice
COMMUNICATIONS
Dr. Nagl speaking at the Thanksgiving Assembly, 2019 on this,” Dr. Nagl said. “The teacher teaches, Meet.” Dr. Nagl said. and the students don’t necessarily have to be The history department will offer Modlearning at the same time. This will be the ern Middle East as a senior elective. An estiform of teaching for this course. If I’m on mate of the number of open places is around the West Coast, I may not be able to do it fifteen students. “I’m looking for seniors and maybe juniors who are interested in history and are thinking about careers in public service; perI’m looking for sehaps they are interested in war and how war niors and maybe shapes societies; they are interested in the juniors who are interterrorism that will remain an inescapable future of your entire life,” Dr. Nagl said. ested in history and The prevailing issues in the Middle East are thinking about continue to be one of the U.S.’s top concareers in public cerns. service. As future members of the global community, Haverford students may become inDR. JOHN NAGL volved in these issues and potentially create profound impacts. “My hope,” Dr. Nagl said, “is that the synchronously, so I may hang some readings guys will have a better understanding of on Canvas, for instance. And then possibly how the conflicts of my lifetime are likely to have the kids lead a discussion over Google shape the world of yours.” some younger faces inside the senior elective. At the end of Haverford’s math track, these students will have to decide what classes to take next year. It sounds astounding, because being that far ahead involves a lot of individual work outside of the classroom. But leading math students have different perspectives: they do math because they are guided by sincere interest or potential outcomes. Math is one of the most precise subjects. The foundations of math are self-explanatory, and math adheres to those foundations with strict logic. In contrast, as famous physicist Freeman Dyson stated, science is full of “unclear conjectures” and “flexibility.” And what about literature and history? Literature is definitely not precise because of the vagueness of the human mind, as is history, which is often up to interpretation. Therefore, math represents superior precision, and those who pursue abstract precision in their lives pursue math. “I just think it is a human obligation to do math,” Fifth Former Gary Gao said. “Math’s precision is the combination of the wisdom of all human beings that ever lived on Earth. The strict chain of logic from proof-writing and the excitement from getting the answer gets you closer to the majestic wisdom of human civilization, which thrills every math enthusiast. The thrill enables me to sit beside the table and concentrate on math.” Being in a higher-level math class in a lower grade means that you can participate in an independent study program and do even higher levels of math, which definitely highlights one’s math talent. Additionally, if no independent study is available, finishing
higher-level math early enables you to pursue other interests in high school, making you a “well-rounded” student while maintaining an outstanding math record.
“I just think its a human obligation to do math. Math’s precision is the combination of the wisdom of all human beings that ever lived on Earth.” GARY GAO ’21
However, students should not force themselves to do higher-level math because of its effects on college applications. If doing math is painful, one should pursue the passions that ignite them, as math does to Gao. A person with no interest in math is unable to endure the solitude of staring at a single math problem. This person should pursue what he is interested in. Dyson quit his pursuit of math because he loved the “flexibility” of physics. “I like imagining all kinds of crazy stuff, and the preciseness of math inhibited me from doing so. So I quit,” Dyson said. Dyson made significant contributions in the field of physics, and his name will be in the history books forever because of his “crazy” Dyson Ball project. Dyson’s story demonstrates that pursuing what is interesting to you is a key to success.
the index · neighborhood
Page 9
March 2020
neighborhood Theaters compared: movie time on the Main Line Tyler Zimmer ’21
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here’s something about that feeling that gets me every single time. They rub it in your face in the preview before the movie: some local filmmaker patched together every satisfying fizzling of Coke and popping of corn. You travel along that gluttony roller coaster, hypnotized. Seven- and seventy-year olds alike stare in awe, serotonin levels through the roof as they indulge in oversized buckets and cups filled with goodness. We distract ourselves from the speed of the world with Netflix, and Netflix is good for some things. Watching television should be an escape, but Netflix’s convenience makes it more like background noise. If you want to be truly immersed, get up off the couch and drive to a movie theatre. But which one? There are ten commercial-grade movie theatres within an eight-mile radius of campus. If you’re going to make the effort and spend the money doing something you could do with a few clicks of the remote, you must make an informed decision. Size is the first factor. Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond? Does a little bit of history pique your interest? There’s some give and take when choosing a theatre to suit your needs. Reel Cinemas owns a variety of historic theatres. In our area, think older, smaller, more comfortable places. Fifth Former Jonny Flieder, a Narberth man, said, “I love Reel Cinemas Narberth because of its small, homey feel.” Along with the feel of a smaller theatre, ticket prices tend to be lower. In nearly every other market, corporate America has driven down prices for big companies and raised them for small companies. Movie theatres have done the opposite. Price is the second factor. Both Narberth and Wayne set their non-matinee tickets at $12 per adult, $9 per child or senior. The next tier, mid-size, includes AMC Marple and Regals like Edgmont Square or Plymouth Meeting. They mark their tickets around $14. Not a game-changer. But the larger theatres that offer IMAX and 4DX are another beast: $21. This price is ridiculous, especially if you add popcorn and a drink on top of it. But one factor is more important than all others. Drew Loughnane reveals what really matters at the movies. “I don’t know how to explain it,” Fifth Former Drew Lougnane said. “Something about putting your feet up just makes the movie experience that much better.”
Anthony Wayne Theatre
Narberth Theater
TYLER ZIMMER ’21
MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ’21
Recliner chairs are everything. Recliner chairs are everything. But that is not even the best part; you can find these chairs at the aforementioned mid-size theatres. At one of these, you get the comfort of a Netflix binge session paired with the aroma and escape of a theatre. If you feel strongly about supporting your local theatre, be my guest. Or if you want to go pay $21 for a gigantic screen and super loud speakers, that’s completely your decision. But remember I told you that there is a better option. Sixth Former Charlie Baker agrees. “Go to Edgmont. Go to Plymouth Meeting. Go to Marple,” Baker said. “The seats are amazing.”
AMC Marple
GOOGLE MAPS STREETVIEW
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the index · campus opinions
March 2020
campus opinions Dress shoes controversy shows coming shift Lleyton Winslow ’20
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alking down the hall after second period, I am abruptly stopped by two teachers. Without a word, they point to my shoes. I look down: on my feet are red “OTW Sidewall Old Skool” Vans, my most beloved shoes. “Those,” they exclaim, “are sneakers.” “But they’re Vans, I thought they were allowed,” I respond. “Yeah, but not these. Too much color.” One of the teachers finally says: “Imagine wearing these shoes to your first job interview. Imagine how unprofessional you would look.” This encounter got me thinking about how schools come up with dress codes, the difference between dress shoes and sneakers, and the fashion of the “working world.” Haverford’s strict dress code is laid out with little room for interpretation: Buttondown shirt, tie, blazer, and dress shoes. However, over the past year or two, Vans and other traditional boat shoes and skate sneakers have been permitted, allowing that they are a solid color and not too flashy. I understand the need for a dress code, and I would even go as far as to say I support it. It is still possible to have creative outfits even with its heavy restrictions; I wear colorful bow-ties, pants, and sweaters. However, the tight ban on sneakers is where it begins to go wrong.
The first reason is practicality. Dress shoes are traditionally worn with fancy suits and ties; in other words, on special occasions rather than every day. Therefore, the shoemakers usually forego comfort in favor of the material, design, and look of the shoe. Often, dress shoe soles are stiff and hard, and walking every day for extended periods can lead to discomfort and pain. Many sneakers nowadays use new technology to make soles more comfortable for active lives; whether it is running, sports, or even just walking to work, sneakers will reduce the wear on your body from all movement. Second, the culture surrounding sneakers has changed immensely over the past couple of decades, especially in these last few. Sneakers are no longer the pair of shoes that you only wear during exercise; many people’s wardrobes are exclusively sneakers, designating pairs for different activities like work, exercise, partying, and more. In addition, streetwear designers like the popular Virgil Abloh and his brand OffWhite have made collaborations with high fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, essentially bridging the gap between the high fashion community and sneakers. Thirdly, my teacher’s comment on a job interview is also not entirely true. There are definitely professions that still maintain the suit-and-tie attire: law, business, and many other professions have been wearing these
clothes for over a century. But many whitecollar, desk-based careers nowadays don’t have this same culture. An example is tech
companies, where the employees wear casual clothes every day, like hoodies, sweatpants, jeans, and of course, sneakers. Look at Mark Zuckerburg, arguably the most successful man in the tech world, who wears a simple t-shirt and jeans every day. These companies are shifting the culture surrounding work wear, and many professions are following suit. Hopefully, schools that prepare its students for upcoming lives in the workforce, realize the change in the professional world and will change their dress codes appropriately. Although sneakers stand out as the link that needs to go immediately, perhaps the khakis, shirt, and tie are next.
TYLER ZIMMER ’21 & AGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21
Cole Stecker ’20
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veryone knows about the coronavirus, or more specifically Covid-19. It’s been the talk of the school. Everywhere I go I seem to hear both teacher and students alike discussing the prospects of school being closed or travel abroad trips being cancelled. It is hard to imagine that only a few months ago the coronavirus largely evaded the public eye. It was just some strange virus that most people compared to Ebola or Zika. Both of these were newsworthy, but their time in the media spotlight was short lived, and after a while most people all but forgot about them. This is how many of us thought the coronavirus would turn out. But the coronavirus is different. It has not stopped growing, both in terms of people infected as well as fear evoked. The virus became real to me when I opened my phone, and was greeted by a news article discussing the first coronavirus case in Italy. My mind immediately went to the upcoming Spring Break Latin Italy trip, which I was to be a part of. I was reassured by the fact that the virus was only in northern Italy, and that according to the experts, “Italy is still safe for tourism.” This reassurance did not quell the rampant speculation that ensued. It felt as though every conversation I had with my friends devolved into discussions about the trip being cancelled. With each new day, new news emerged of the coronavirus’ unexpected spread through Italy, and with this news came more speculation as to the Italy trip.
Coronavirus hits closer to home, canceling Italy trip Our worst fears came true when the CDC elevated Italy’s danger level to three, which meant that everyone planning a trip should reconsider. This marked the end of the Italy trip. The virus which mostly everyone believed to be nothing more than a media phenomenon, quickly evolved into a worldwide fiasco. The very virus which I regarded as having no direct effect on my life resulted in the calculation of the highly anticipated Italy study program. I recognize my own faults. I only began to care about the virus in terms of how it would affect me. My worldview is without a doubt shared by many others. There is no immediate cure, both to the somewhat self-centered worldview and the coronavirus alike. The results of the virus made me question my own way of looking at the world. Is it wrong to only care about things that directly have an impact on me? I do not yet know. All I know is that I will not be traveling to Italy this Spring break, and that the virus has already claimed victims within the United States—making it scarily close to home.
COMASCO MAPPER VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 as of February 22, 2020
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the index · off-campus opinions
March 2020
off-campus opinions Franklin Dai ’21
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ayonnaise and shredded cheese. To the average grilled cheese consumer, these two things sound strange and terrifying when mentioned in the same sentence. I will undo these preconceptions and take your grilled cheese to the next level. Mayonnaise, love it or hate it, is not used conventionally for a grilled cheese sandwich. It does not belong anywhere near the inside of grilled cheese. It belongs on the outside of the sandwich as a substitution for butter. Mayonnaise has a higher smoking point than butter meaning it’s harder to burn. Now, you might say “I’m not a bad cook, I don’t burn my bread.” This is true, however, the higher smoking point also allows for more time on the grill, thus, more time to melt your cheese. Mayonnaise also results in a lighter, less greasy piece of bread that is just as crunchy in your end-product. If you’re reluctant to try mayonnaise on your sandwich because of your hatred for the condiment, then you’re in luck, as all traces of mayonnaise are removed once you finish grilling the sandwich. By using sliced cheese instead of shredded cheese, you’re doing a disservice to yourself. Everything about shredding your own cheese is superior: you have no overlapping lumps of cheese and your cheese will melt easier. The opportunities for shredded cheese are so much greater than those of sliced cheese. You can mix cheeses, and choose virtually any cheese rather than just sticking to the simple Swiss, American, or cheddar
Taking your grilled cheese to the next level cheeses. If you think to yourself, “Why would I shred my own cheese, using pre-sliced cheese is so much easier,” then you must ask yourself if that’s the varsity move. Is it the varsity move to take the easy option for a grilled cheese that did not live up to its potential? To quote President John F. Kennedy, “We do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
Which grilled cheese is the best?
Grilled cheese sandwich with soup
Bernie Sanders is a general election nightmare Sam Kohl ’22
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ernie Sanders is one of the most polarizing figures in recent history inside the Democratic Party. Love him or hate him, however, he is on the rise and out of Super Tuesday with hundreds more delegates. The one question on every Democrat’s mind is: can he beat Trump? If you ask a Sanders supporter, colloquially named the “Bernie bros,” they would
say absolutely. The truth, however, is not as straightforward as the Bernie army on Twitter may make you think. When talking about Sanders, supporters like to bring up many facets of his campaign that make him viable to beat Trump. I’m going to address three of them: his record, his stance on the issues, and his ability to win states. First his record: it’s complicated. Let’s
US SENATE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Vice President Biden shakes hands with Sen. Bernie Sanders in the U.S. Senate in the Old Senate Chamber, January 2013
start with the good: Sanders has a terrific record on civil rights. In fact, a 22-year-old Bernie Sanders was in the crowd during Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech. Sanders also worked with his fellow University of Chicago peers to fight for civil rights causes. But when it comes to Bernie’s record in Washington, it isn’t one of radical change and revolution that his campaign promises. According to the official U.S. Congress website, there are only three bills that Senator Sanders sponsored or co-sponsored that became law. Two of them were naming post offices in his home state of Vermont. In comparison, rival Joe Biden has 28. Second, Senator Sanders has a controversial record when it comes to the economy. He was quoted as saying “It’s funny, sometimes American journalists talk about how bad a country is because people are lining up for food. That’s a good thing [referring to the breadlines in Nicaragua].” He was also quoted as saying “I think you change [income inequality in America] through tax laws, I think you change it through public ownership of significant parts of the economy.” Senator Sanders even praised the public transportation in the Soviet Union, saying that “[The Soviet] public transportation system was the cleanest, most effective mass transit system I’ve ever seen in my life.” Even recently, he praised the literacy program of Fidel Castro, who oversaw a regime that killed 73,000. Those interviews
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
will be playing on every TV station across America come election season. The third facet is policy. The policies on Sanders’ website, according to his own statistics, cost 74.58 trillion dollars. This is not including many plans on his website that have no cost provided. Bernie plans to pay for this by completely restructuring the economy of the United States; he wants to raise corporate taxes. In the process, taxes on the middle class will increase, large banks will be broken up, the list goes on and on. One of his flagship policies, “Medicare for All,” polls anywhere between 40-55% nationally. In contrast, the policy of Joe Biden, Senator Sanders’ main rival, polls at about 70% favorability nationally. Speaking of polling and electability, Bernie’s “socialist” label doesn’t lend itself kindly to national polls. Recent polls show between 13% and 29% of voters have a positive view of socialism. This is reflected in swing-state polling, where Sanders is within the margin of error, effectively in a polling tie with the incumbent president. Joe Biden polls 7 points ahead. While polling will never be 100% correct, what is certain is that entering a general election with a controversial candidate will further divide a nation seeking stability.
the inde
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IC Day photographers explore Philadelphia Matthew Schwartz ’21
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s Haverford’s annual Intellectual Curiosity Day evolves, so do the various courses offered to students
each year. One of these newest additions was a photography tour of Philadelphia, run by art teacher Ms. Kristen Brown and English teacher Mr. Thomas Stambaugh. In the morning, students who chose the activity learned about various photography techniques by looking at a few different street photographers and discussing successful aspects of each photograph and how the students could show similar perspectives in
their own work later that day.
“I would hope to expand it to multiple days.” MS. KRISTEN BROWN Once in the city, the group made a few stops at destinations such as Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown, Old City, and Penn’s Landing.
“I was really surprised for all students who haven’t learned about composition if they’re taking music or theater,” Ms. Brown said. “They all took everything I was talking about to heart before we went out, and then they were also thinking about getting the city in movement and we had lots of really interesting ones from Reading Terminal of people actually at work, working in the market.” Although there was not enough time at the end of the day for students to edit their photos, they were able to pick out some of their favorite ones that Ms. Brown was able
to hang up by the Upper School’s main office so that all the community members could see the group’s work. With talks of broadening IC Day into a longer program next year, Ms. Brown hopes that she once again can offer for more students to go into the city and capture the everyday movements of life. “I would hope to expand it into multiple days,” Ms. Brown said, “because we weren’t able to have a conversation about what the images looked like beyond just picking ones quickly for me to print.”
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Photo credits
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Guillaume Laforest
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Ryan Rodack
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Conrad Reller
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Stephen Walker
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Chase Herz
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Sam Kohl
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Ryan Rodack
ex ¡ arts
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the index · off-campus opinions
March 2020
A nation without a narrative Alexander Greer ’20
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e’re taught from a young age about the founding and development of America, how those who upheld the values of our great nation – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln – had a singular focus in mind: the pursuit of liberty and justice for all. But this story of American history may just be one of many “versions” taught in different states via their own distinct textbooks. Thus what we think of as historic gospel may not be so straightforward. In truth, lots of aspects of history are open to interpretation. The common adage of history being “written by the victors” holds true, especially for contentious topics such as race, politics, or legal interpretation. Perspectives on these ideas vary stateto-state, or even county to county, making history textbook manufacturers struggle to appease educators. For example, in California, an American history student may find a paragraph explaining the contested nature of the 2nd Amendment, while a student in Texas has a blank space. This is just one example of how state
governments alter the educational narrative throughout the country. It demonstrates an important problem: our country claims to be united under a set of shared ideals and rules, yet we can’t even agree on what some consider basic aspects of our own history. How can we make judgments or hold debates in an increasingly polarized landscape without common ground? We can’t build bridges without first agreeing on where to put the foundations. The most distressing part of this problem is that it unhinges the education process. American students have no frame of reference to judge the content of their textbooks: the textbook is supposed to be their frame of reference. Education systems are meant to provide students with foundational knowledge, enabling them to then synthesize their own informed beliefs of the world around them. If something held to such a standard as an Amendment of the Constitution is taught with partisan sway, then we can’t expect the future generations of our country to be open to opposing ideas. Admittedly, teaching history is more complicated and open to revisionism than
Colleges have no say in who is qualified Jahmiel Jackson ’20
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n an era of extreme polarization, critics have boiled down affirmative action to a simple sentence: reverse racism that gets under-qualified black and brown minorities into colleges. This statement is wrong on many counts. The first account is relatively simple: public universities have banned gender and racial preferences in their admissions process. If a private institution is dedicated to having a more diverse class, which for some students is not a priority, then a public institution is an alternative. In a debate between merit and diversity, the MIT’s Assistant Director of Admissions, Chris, confesses that “not all students admitted to MIT are equally well prepared” because of their different backgrounds, but “all students at MIT are sufficiently prepared to succeed at MIT.” Of course colleges do not want to admit a student that cannot handle its rigor. A student failing out is detrimental to all parties involved. According to prepscholar.com, African Americans and Latinx individuals on average score lower on SATs than Asian American and White students. So how do colleges admit people of color? Standardized testing predicts socioeconomic status and exposes the historical racial wage gap in America. Colleges that practice holistic admissions take context into account and evaluate students based on their specific background. Imagine a thousand people interview for a job. Only 500 are prepared to do what the job requires. There are 100 spots that need to be filled. There are two ways to approach this
problem. You can either line the candidates up with respect to the ranking of their resume’s prestige, or you can select candidates based on creating a more dynamic workplace. Even though white women benefit the most from affirmative action, we have seen the Students For Fair Admission sue Harvard because race is considered in their admission. With Supreme Court cases like the Fischer v University of Texas, and the Trump administration propagating that affirmative action discriminates against white college students, students of color are often targeted. Harvard, for example, admitted a class of 1,950 students in 2023 composed of about 288 Black or African-American students. Meanwhile, over 300 white students were recruited athletes, legacies, those on the dean’s interest list, and children of faculty and staff. Any adversary of affirmative action should really examine how many of these minority students were less qualified and admitted because of affirmative action.
Students...should stop using affirmative action to explain their rejection. Students who were not accepted at their institution of choice should stop using affirmative action to explain their rejection. They should instead target the system that gives the most seats away to the privileged, those who have access and wealth.
explaining a science concept or a math equation. But even though concepts essential to American history have no one clear perspective, we should strive to teach as many of them as possible to provide a holistic picture. Facts shouldn’t be dictated from the person with the strongest political following or the
ALEXANDER GREER ’20
largest bullhorn. The story of America has many facets, each with its own merits and drawbacks. But if we want to move forward as a nation, we must collaborate to tell the complex, diverse, and shared narrative that made us into what we are today.
Coronavirus, continued from the front page March 13, the upper school faculty is enrolled in classes on how to conduct online schooling. For now, here are the facts. Coronavirus has arrived. According to a spokesperson from Germantown Academy, a parent of a student has been quarantined. “While that family member is experiencing only mild, cold-like symptoms, and while the GA student has no symptoms, the student will self-quarantine at home for at least two weeks,” read an email sent out to both parents and students attending GA, “The family member has not been on GA’s campus, but the student was in attendance through Friday, March 6.” GA will begin online schooling this week. GA has announced they will be closed Monday, March 9, Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11. Afterward, they will begin operating Virtual GA from March 12th until the beginning of their Spring Break on Wednesday, March 18th. If you take the Blue Route, we are 13.6 miles away from Germantown Academy. If they are closing, will we? There is reason to believe we will. Before GA’s breaking news, we have already cancelled not-fully-refundable trips and taken precautionary steps to ensure one of our own does not spread the virus. Cases have soared in many countries overseas, particularly in Italy, where, in a mere two weeks, fourteen Haverford students were scheduled to travel over Spring Break. As the number of cases in the country cracked 5,000 and with hundreds more being confirmed each day, the CDC and the US Department of State advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Italy—the final nail in the trip’s coffin. “We feel that we would be putting our students and teachers in dangerous and compromised situations if we allowed the trip to go forward as planned,” Chair of the Global Studies Mr. Andrew Poolman said. Additionally, the janitorial staff has been asked to partake in new, more effective disinfecting practices.
In Dr. Nagl’s “Message from the Headmaster: Coronavirus Preparedness Update,” he reported a sobering possibility. “We are currently developing distance learning plans, in case local health authorities determine that school closures are necessary. We ask that you comply with instructions from your son’s teachers on tests of these systems.” Think about all the work that is done in school. Part of every student’s motivation is the setting: jackets, ties, dress shoes (sort of ), and most importantly, the requirement to get out of bed, commute from one zip code to another, and follow a strict schedule. Yes, there will be more time to complete work in the proposed long-distance learning plan, but there will also be less motivation. Homework, coupled with classwork, will be an almost insurmountable task with every distraction at our fingertips. Imagine having to follow along with a lecture with the power button to your gaming console within arm’s length. As we continue to hear new information daily, it is important to keep in mind that much is still unknown about both the virus itself and how to prevent it. Many of the decisions made by both Haverford’s administration and people/businesses around the world will be more conservative as they try to hinder the spread of this deadly disease. Weeks or months off-campus might sound ideal.
We’re here to tell you to temper your expectations and send your prayers to the infected patients— this is not a snow day you want to have. We’re here to tell you to temper your expectations and send your prayers to the infected patients—this is not a snow day you want to have.
the index · sports
Page 15
March 2020
sports Mr. Fifer’s NCAA bracket pro-tips Agustin Aliaga ’21
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very year, March Madness takes over conversations and computer screens across the nation. At Haverford, students create leagues of their own and compete with friends in hopes of obtaining the school-wide title. Every year, Dean of Students Mr. Mark Fifer organizes a Wilson Hall bracket challenge that receives over 200 entries. Every
player is allowed to submit two brackets, gaining points for correct predictions in a series of weighted rounds. Mr. Fifer has had much success in the past years, as he never fails to remind us. “Did I mention I won last year?” he asked. Why did Mr. Fifer win? Does he have a winning secret?
PETE SOUZA - WIKIMEDIA
President Barack Obama fills out his tournament bracket with Andy Katz
While Mr. Fifer recognized early on that “most of it is just intuition,” he still has certain tricks up his sleeve. First, Mr. Fifer described his general approach to formulating a bracket. “I look at it from a backwards design,” Mr. Fifer said. “I’ll think about seeds because it’s rare for all four number-one seeds to be left in the tournament.” Then, Mr. Fifer tries to predict which number one seeds “will make it to the final four and then what non-number-1 seeds are going to make it.” “I go for the big points,” Mr. Fifer said. He suggests that you make your bracket backwards and avoid spending too much energy on predictions for early-round, irrelevant games. “The reality of it is that picking that 8-9 game, I don’t think it really matters,” Mr. Fifer said. While this is his core strategy, Mr. Fifer uses other indicators to make sure that he is content with his final predictions. “I’ll also look at who’s playing well at the end of the season,” Mr. Fifer said. “Last year, I picked Texas Tech in the final four, and why did I do that? Because they had a really good showing at the Big 12 tournament.” Mr. Fifer also analyzes a range of factors
that can influence team performance. “I’ll look at the coaches,” he said. “I always pick Michigan State to go far because of Tom Izzo.” Now, some of Mr. Fifer’s big-picture predictions. “The ACC is down,” Mr. Fifer said. “The Big 10 is going to have a pretty good tournament.” “To be honest,” Mr. Fifer said, “The top end doesn’t seem to be as good this year, so I have no idea.”
Mr. Fifer believes that the competition is a rallying point. Overall, Mr. Fifer believes that the competition is a rallying point. “It gives people a chance to talk with one another,” Mr. Fifer said. Mr. Fifer will soon begin the schoolwide competition when the bracket is released. The upper school can compete for a gift card, but, much more importantly, bragging rights. “I got it last year,” Mr. Fifer said. “Did I mention I won?”
Rowers welcome new blood Jonny Sonnenfeld ’20
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he rowing team is a mystery to many Haverford students. The squad practices year-round and is rarely on campus. In what most would consider a rebuilding year, the crew team remains positive. After graduating three excellent rowers in the class of 2019, this year’s top boats will be unrecognizable. The boys got a frigid start as they returned to the water last month. “It’s always freezing in February and we don’t wear gloves,” Fifth Former Bryson Bernhardt said. “Our feet get wet when we launch the boats, so the first few weeks can be a struggle.” Regardless, Bernhardt believes temperatures have not affected team morale. “The atmosphere of the team is really good this year. We are still having fun even though it’s so cold,” Bernhardt said. The first few weeks of spring rowing serve as a transition period from winter indoor rowing on the ergometer to the much different and more technical movement of rowing in a boat. “We’ve mostly been working on technique because it doesn’t matter how strong you are if you have bad technique,” Bernhardt said. “The boat will go slow and could even flip.” After the graduation of veteran rowers Jeff Pendergast, Aidan Leavy, and Thomas Russell, the crew team will rely on different members this year. “We have a really young team with lots of sophomores and freshmen,” Bernhardt said. “Regardless of their age, the younger guys are all extremely promising, and I have high hopes for this upcoming championship season.” The new-look Fords will get their first taste of racing on Sunday, March 15 in a season schedule that is very different from most other sports.
Instead of the so-called “regular season,” the rowers have the Manny Flicks. The Manny Flicks are a series of five regattas on Sundays from March through April that give crews the chance to get used to racing before the big three: Championships, Stotesbury Regatta, and Scholastic Nationals. “Many people don’t realize it but we are one of the more successful teams on campus,” Bernhart said. “We’ve had countless top-three finishes at national championships.” The relative obscurity of the rowing
team on campus can lead to frequent, misinformed rumors—for instance, that rowing is a dying sport at Haverford. “We have more freshmen than we know what to do with,” said Bernhardt, “and our junior varsity squad is teeming with talent. People just think no one is on the team because we are never on campus.” According to Bernhardt, most students do not know much about the team. “People throw the name ‘Boathouse Row’ at me all the time but are always surprised to learn we don’t row there,” Bernhardt said.
The rowing team has a spectacular, state-of-the-art facility on the banks of the Upper Schuylkill in Conshohocken. “Not only are we not on Boathouse Bow, but we also can’t even row there from our boathouse,” Bernhardt said. “There’s a dam halfway between us.” Bernhardt encourages student fans to attend races to learn more about the sport. “I know it’s not the most convenient thing,” Bernhardt said. “But we have a great spectator tent right at the finish line with lots of food and someone’s always grilling—it’s a fun time.”
Magnus Weissenberger ’21, Henri Wache ’21, Brian Williams ’21 and Jonny Sonnenfeld ’20 in a quad last year
MR. JIM ROESE
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March 2020
Kai Jacobs’ behind-the-scenes support
Ryan Rodack ’22
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he continued success of Haverford’s athletics programs is most commonly attributed to the athletes and coaches: however, there are students putting in just as many hours and hard work who are integral to the success of our teams, such as Fourth Former Kai Jacobs, the second-year manager for both the varsity basketball and baseball teams. As a Third Former, Jacobs tried out for the basketball team but was unfortunately cut. He was then given the opportunity by Third Form basketball head coach Mr. Stephen Cloran to manage the team. “I really thought about it,” Jacobs said. “When I get older, I may want to coach a team. I still want to be involved in sports in any way possible.” In the past two years, Jacobs has gone on to manage the Third Form team (2018– 19) and the Varsity team (2019–20). Jacobs said, “For basketball practice, I bring up the water jugs and water bottles and keep the water bottles filled for practice. I also work with the clock because when coaches are doing certain stations, they need the clock set to a certain amount of time.” “In the games for basketball, I keep all of the stats like points, fouls, timeouts, and possession,” Jacobs said. If a coach doesn’t know how many timeouts they have or who gets the next possession, I have that information.” Although Jacobs works mostly behind the scenes, his contributions have not gone unnoticed. Varsity Basketball coach Mr. Bernie Rogers said, “His hard work and unselfish attitude has been evident to his classmates.
Kai is self-motivated, very reliable and plays a big role for Haverford Basketball.” Fourth Form basketball and baseball player Matt Kearney said, “Kai is always reliable and does all of the behind-the-scenes work to make everything possible. He gives up a lot of his time for our teams.”
“I feel like a lot of the team members like having me around and it’s a good environment.”
there are a few difficulties. “I might get sidetracked…Having too much fun during the games or practice with the team,” Jacobs said. “For me, I may forget to reset the clock for basketball or baseball when I forget to change the innings our outs on the scoreboard.” Some may wonder why Jacobs enjoys his role with the teams if he does not get to play the sports that he manages. “[Managing] is a good experience to be around a coaching environment to see how
the coaches run their teams,” Jacobs said. “It’s rewarding because you get to see the practice and development that goes into preparing for the games. I sit through practices, watch [the athletes] run through the plays, and watch them try to perfect [the plays]. You just get to learn a lot about the game from the players on the team.” “I feel like a lot of the team members like having me around and it’s a good environment,” Jacobs said. “I’m just a good person to have around the teams.”
KAI JACOBS ’21 Jacobs’ success and the pleasure he took in managing the basketball team inspired him to manage varsity baseball as well. “In baseball games, I work with the camera and with live streaming. I may also do the scoreboard every once in a while,” Jacobs said. Another reason for Jacobs’ interest in managing is to build relationships with people he otherwise may not get to know. Jacobs said, “Last year, I got close with a lot of the players on our baseball team.” “Kai really helps out the coaches,” Fourth Form Baseball player Jake LaRocca said. “They trust him with running the pitching machine and preparing game film. He’s a really good guy and he’s well-liked on the team.” Although Jacobs is an expert as it relates to the majority of the facets of his job,
MR. PETE BANNON - DAILY TIMES
Kai Jacobs ’22 at the Senior Night basketball game on February 7
Lacrosse, continued from the front page Highlighting his teammates’ collective effort, Sixth Former and Team Captain Brennan McBride said, “My favorite off-season moment was our last morning workout of the winter. It was by far one of the hardest workouts that I have ever been through, but knowing that all my teammates were with me suffering and getting better made it truly special.” The Fifth Formers have put in their share of effort as well. “We’ve also been working extremely hard,” Fifth Former Colby Kim said. “We have 7:00 a.m. conditioning workouts every Wednesday.” Additionally, Coach Dawson implemented a new testing program to track the progress of off-season gains. “We now do a stick-work test, a weight room test, and a conditioning test at the beginning and end of the season,” Kim said. This progress tracker serves as one of the more minor adjustments to a program which
has seen significant personnel changes. Coach Dawson has taken the head coach mantle while stepping into the role of assistant athletic director. “[Former head] Coach Nostrant and I share a lot of the same beliefs about how the game should be played as far as philosophies,” Coach Dawson said, “including a tough-love approach to constructive criticism.” “I tell guys all the time, ‘Facts aren’t insults.’ When we point things out as a staff, we’re not criticizing you as a person, but we’re trying to make our team better.” The players treat this feedback as an opportunity to grow as athletes and teammates. Fifth Former Geordy Holmes keeps his perspective in check. “I focus on the things I can control,” Holmes said. “I know that there will be strong results.” The lacrosse team has walked a winning path for years, collecting championships and securing numerous top-ten placements in
national rankings. This year, however, the team failed to break into the top-twenty teams in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason coaches poll. Ranked below Malvern Prep and many other rivals, the 2020 Fords are underdogs. Eagles Center Jason Kelce embodied the attitude of the Haverford lacrosse team in his speech at the 2018 Super Bowl Parade. “We’re all a bunch of underdogs,” he said, describing his Eagles teammates. “And you know what an underdog is? It’s a hungry dog.” The Fords are ready to eat, ready to take down powerhouse teams, ready to recapture their deserved ranking. But they know they need to focus on the present. Coach Dawson said, “The biggest game is always the one right in front of us because it’s the next one.” “We don’t care if our opponent is unranked or ranked number one in the coun-
try,” Fifth Former Quintin Campbell said. “We stick to our own game and play Haverford School Lacrosse.” There must be no looking ahead to the Friars, no thoughts of the overseeded New Jersey or Maryland squads. The Fords will take care of business one workout, one practice, and one game at a time. Campbell explained the effect of the preseason rankings. “It adds some extra motivation to an already hungry team,” Campbell said, “a chip on our shoulder, you might say.” The Fords will use this chip on their shoulder, coupled with Sixth Form leadership, to guide them to the promised land. “This is our last go-round as Fords,” McBride said. “We want to do everything humanly possible to achieve our goals as a team this season.” Colby Kim knows the team’s potential. “We are a dangerous team,” Kim said. “The sky’s our limit.”
DR. MIKE NANCE
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March 2020
Behind the controversy of off-season training Jeffrey Yang ’22
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very sport that’s an Inter-Ac sport has rules,” Director of Athletics and Director of Football Program Michael Murphy said. In recent months, some students have speculated about other Inter-Ac schools disobeying these rules. Students also question whether or not Haverford itself follows them, conducting conversations regarding the topic with mischievous and wary expressions. Any discussion of our accordance with the regulations requires an understanding of the rules. Teams are not permitted to practice as a whole prior to the start of the season. However, the Inter-Ac allows one coach to work with three players at a time on skillbased training. As Coach Murphy said, “Those [sessions] cannot be mandatory, and they cannot be scheduled so that a coach is working with the whole team in one day, one group of three after another group of three. You also can only have one coach doing it at a time.” Coaches are allowed to work with the team as a whole for one day a week in one off-season. “What teams can do is have a group of guys and hit baseballs in the batting cage without being coached. A bunch of guys can get together on the football field to throw footballs and do what they want, as long as they are not being coached,” Coach Murphy said. During the summer, between June and the start of school in September, any team is permitted to practice to the full extent. The only exceptions are fall teams, which are required to rest between July 31 and preseason beginning on August 19. Even with these clear rules, there are still other schools in the Inter-Ac practicing. “People continue to break those rules— maybe having five guys [instead of the allowed three] being coached, or even having full-fledged practices,” Coach Murphy said. Upper School Physical Education teacher and Assistant Baseball Coach Dr. Peter Vanni said, “Other teams absolutely do [practice outside of regulation]. I don’t think they worry about following the rules so much. They post on social media that they do it.” “But I’m not worried about them so much,” Coach Vanni said. “We just worry about ourselves.” Coach Murphy shared a similar per-
spective. He stated that he will listen to concerns and bring them to the table, but will not supervise and check on other schools. “I’m not going to go to Episcopal and sit outside their field and film, and wait to see what they’re doing, and say ‘gotcha.’ We’ve been hearing [speculations] for a long time, and all I can do is if I hear concern from someone, and there’s some true merit to it, I will take it to the athletic directors and we will discuss it.” The system, therefore, functions on trust. Schools are not necessarily always checking on each other, and Coach Murphy believes that such trust is what keeps the integrity of the league and the lasting relationships between Inter-Ac schools. “I think our league does a really good job, unless there is some direct evidence that we think there is a problem, of monitoring things based on trust and understanding that each school will police this and play by the rules,” said Coach Murphy. However, the uncertainty of others’ conduct and lack of regulating forces creates mistrust as well. “I hear it all the time from our students: ‘So-and-so school is practicing.’ That’s what I don’t like about the rule, it constantly leads to mistrust and rumors,” Coach Murphy said. With so much conversation among students, Inter-Ac athletic directors have also been discussing the rules, but they are not likely to change anytime soon. For as long as Mr. Murphy has been in the Inter-Ac, he recalls there always being some sort of guiding rules. The only major difference in the InterAc guidelines is the addition of some sports, such as swimming and wrestling, that used to be clubs. Additionally, many Inter-Ac directors support having regulations. Coach Murphy said, “For the twentyfour years that I’ve been in the Inter-Ac, there’s been some sort of rules in place, and they’ve only evolved and changed.” He continued, “I am in the minority of Inter-Ac athletic directors that want to do away with the rules.” Both Coach Vanni and Coach Murphy are pushing for a league without any guidelines at all. They state that guidelines cause mistrust and that each school is different and should not be held to the same set of rules.
The baseball team in an inter-squad scrimmage, March 5, 2020
“If these kids want to practice, and they want to utilize one of their school coaches, I think they should be able to do that,” Coach Vanni said. “They are going to be practicing [without a coach] anyways, and it would make us more comfortable if they were doing it the right way under the guidance of a coach.” Practicing without a coach presents further issues with athletes’ safety and school liability. Coach Murphy said, “For us administrators who are in charge, if no one’s there and there’s an injury, now we have an issue. So we go back to the trust factor; say, a football coach can be there, but they cannot be coaching the guys. It’s kind of a ‘put the ball out, and let them play.” On the other side of the argument, two general points support keeping the regulations: one, for maintaining fair and equal competition, and two, for allowing athletes to participate in multiple sports throughout the year.
“Our coaches have a mutual understanding that the reason for the rule is to allow our athletes to be multisport athletes. I don’t want them to feel like ‘I’m missing that [training]. That’s really what the spirit of the rule is trying to balance.” MR. MICHAEL MURPHY In regards to the first argument, Coach Murphy said, “But I also understand how it’s in place to try and create a fair and competitive level. Some schools may be large enough to have a group of students and a team that plays one sport exclusively all year round, and that could be a disadvantage for schools who may not have that ability because of number size.” Having the guidelines also ensures that students are not pressured to train in one sport for all the seasons. This is a result of the regulation that Coach Murphy and Coach Vanni appreciate.
“Sometimes there’s frustration over the rule. As coaches, we’re competitive in nature and we’re always doing what we can to make our teams the best. But, I would say our coaches have a mutual understanding that the reason for the rule is to allow our athletes to be multisport athletes. I don’t want them to feel like ‘I’m missing that [training]. That’s really what the spirit of the rule is trying to balance,” Coach Murphy said . Coach Vanni emphasized the numbers of multi-sport athletes on the baseball team. “There are some sports that require different types of athletes to specialize in that sport. However, most of my guys are multisport athletes, and I really like that philosophy,” said Coach Vanni. He continued with the advantages for athletes who participate in multiple sports. “There’s also a lot of other benefits, not just skill, that are involved with doing different sports. They become better athletes, become stronger, have better movement patterns, and learn different skills.” Even if the rules were to be removed, Coach Murphy would still preserve guidelines that ensure students are able to be multi-sport athletes. “I would still be taking steps to balance that very hard at Haverford to make sure kids can be multi-sport athletes, and not be put in a position where they feel left-out because one team is practicing year-round without them,” said Coach Murphy. However, regulating such a program would have its difficulties. Coach Murphy described the task as “a balancing act.” The school’s athletic program has been recognized for its overall performance, with success across all sports, and Coach Murphy wants to maintain students’ ability to excel in multiple athletic disciplines. “From an overall athletic department standpoint, I’m very proud that we’ve won the Heyward Cup for our overall athletic program. Specialization can really hinder that,” Coach Murphy said. Regardless of how the Inter-Ac evolves, Coach Murphy will continue to strive for a multi-sport philosophy. “I’m really happy to work at a place like Haverford that believes in that philosophy” Coach Murphy said. “It’s always going to be my philosophy as long as I’m the Director of Athletics. I want this to be a place where there’s spots on other teams for guys that just want to come out and be a part of that.”
MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH
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March 2020
Netmen eye eleventh-straight Inter-Ac title Jake LaRocca ’22
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he tennis team has ruled the InterAc, winning ten seasons in a row. As the 2020 season starts, Fords’ tennis has the same goals in mind. “We are expecting to take the Inter-Ac again and continue our ten-year streak,” Sixth Former Sunny Yu said. Yu has emerged as one of the main leaders of the team. He is excited for the season and even more excited to see how his teammates develop during the year. Sixth Former Ethan Brodie notes the team’s consistent positive characteristics. “The team has been incredibly strong during my entire time in high school. Strong senior leadership has remained consistent every year. Coach Fink is always bringing a winning mentality to the team every season. Every day of the season we are out there practicing hard and preparing for matches. So, although the players have changed, the winning mentality has never changed,” Brodie said.
Although tennis is a fairly individual sport, the members of the team, specifically the Sixth Formers, have a team-first mentality. They plan to do whatever it takes in order to seal their eleventh-straight Inter-Ac title. “For me, I just want to win as much as possible and play the best I can,” Yu said. “My personal expectation is to win as many matches as possible,” Brodie said. “Every match matters, so every win we get goes towards the end goal of winning the InterAc.” The team’s camaraderie has improved over the years. Yu believes the doubles’ lineup will only improve because of this closeness. “Our team has needed to focus on our doubles a lot more,” Yu said. “We have a much closer bond now.” “I’m really excited to lead this team with the other seniors this year,” Yu said, “and I know that these boys can perform on the court.” JACK KIRKPATRICK ’20
Cole Wolf ’20 and Sunny Yu ’20 rally at an afternoon tennis practice at Baldwin
Union rebuild despite early loss Agustin Aliaga ’21
T MR. JIM ROESE
Daiyaan Hawkins ’20 (center left) strides forward at the Great Valley Kellerman Invitational, April 20, 2019
Track & field ready for healed injuries and warm weather Matthew Schwartz ’21
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fter an enormously successful winter track season that saw Fourth Former Kevin Thomas become the first Ford to win an individual state competition, many eyes are on the spring track team. The Fords will have to overcome the departure of their previous captain and one of the team’s largest point scorers, Dan Whaley ’19, along with fellow alums Petey Lemmon ’19, Khalil Bland ’19, and others, but Sixth Former Daiyaan Hawkins, the team’s leading scorer, will return for his final year. In his fifth year running the team, Coach Luqman Kolade is looking forward to the season. “All our top guys are going to return, and we even had some injuries in the winter that will hopefully be sort of remedied by the time spring comes about,” Coach Kolade said. “So, in theory, we should be as good or a little better.” Joining Hawkins, Thomas, and Coach Kolade will be a new shot-put coach, Mr. George Avecillas. Additionally, Lucas Elek ’13, will help out with the middle school and varsity track teams. Many runners use winter track as a bridge to the spring season when they can compete at their best. In the warmer months, the team has more opportunities to practice outside, which, as Coach Kolade pointed out, “helps everyone be considerably faster than they were in the beginning.” Sadly, when it comes to competitions in the spring, the Fords will not be able to
compete against the top schools in the state. In the spring season, Haverford is only allowed to participate in the Inter-Ac and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISA) meets, but not in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state meet. Thomas had some advice on how to prepare before running in a race. “I like to stay relaxed, get my mind ready, not think about the race too much, and just trust my training,” Thomas said. As he looks out to another season, Coach Kolade reflected on his favorite aspects of being a coach.
orrential rains made for an ominous day. As the players walked in with their heads down, the scoreboard read NYRB 3–1 PHI. The impossible had happened. Nothing had gone our way. The players came back out, but the fans had little hope left. A few minutes later, the ball touched the net: 3–2. Maybe there was a chance. Subs and fouls, the game continued. Nothing happened. The rain continued to drench the players and the fans. The ball spun out of control on the slick terrain: 3–3. The stadium was electric. The whistle blew again, and my legs seemed to be as cramped as the players: 4–3. The noise deafened me. A lucky goal nonetheless, we were going to win for the first time. That was the way the Philadelphia Union left their home in Chester last year: one of the greatest MLS Playoff victories of all time, amid late-October showers. Now the Union look to do it all again. Last year was historic. They finished in third place, pulling off their first ever playoff victory. When an upsetting loss to the reigning champions sent them home, the Union rebounded with a strong off-season, selling players like Auston Trusty at high prices and acquiring a new asset in Matej Oravec, former Europa League starter. While surprising losses of Fafa Picault and Haris Medujnanin stunned fans, con-
tract extensions and key resignings strengthened the team not only for this season but also for the coming years of the ever-expanding MLS soccer. Because of all of this, the Union have the third-best odds to win the cup this year.
That was the way the Philadelphia Union left their home in Chester last year: one of the greatest MLS Playoff victories of all time, amid lateOctober showers. The Union took on its first opponent of the season in Dallas, perhaps the only club that employs more academy products than the Union themselves, losing 2–0. However, last season, the most successful in the club’s history, started similarly with two bad losses. From there, the Union rebounded strongly with many impressive wins. The first impression of the season was certainly not a good one, but evidence suggests that the Union will have a top-four finish in the East and a successful playoff run.
“My favorite part is seeing kids get better. We have kids that have pretty substantial goals for the season and helping them get to there is pretty awesome.” COACH LUQMAN KOLADE “My favorite part is seeing kids get better,” Coach Kolade said. “We have kids that have pretty substantial goals for the season and helping them get to there is pretty awesome.”
A lit-up Talen Energy Stadium against NYCFC, August 18, 2018
AGUSTIN ALIAGA ’21
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Coronavirus grounds baseball’s Florida plans
TYLER ZIMMER ’21
Michael Tallarida ‘21 ready for the ball at first base at practice, March 6, 2020 Ryan LaRocca ’20
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he COVID-19 “coronavirus” outbreak has even extended to Haverford’s athletic community. Just last week, Fords Baseball canceled its annual Spring Break trip to Florida and is now scheduled to practice in the cold during the week-long vacation. The cancellation, albeit sad, did not come as a surprise to many of the team’s players. Specifically, Sixth Former and Team Leader Patrick Toal, a varsity player all four years, anticipated the news. “I wasn’t surprised when I got word that the Florida trip was canceled,” Toal said. “Everyone kind of saw it coming because of how bad coronavirus is right now.” Fifth Former Grayson Walker had a similar response to the news. “The news wasn’t that surprising considering the recent coronavirus cases in the country,” Walker said. “Still, I was really sad because the trip was one of the highlights of the season last year. It has always been a really great bonding experience that really brings the team together.”
camaraderie that already exists on the team. “The team dynamic is really close and the upperclassmen leadership is very strong,” Shuchman said. “We, as a team, take things upon ourselves to run certain aspects of practices while managing to have a good time.” “I think this is a really close-knit group. The seniors are doing a really great job leading by example,” Walker said. “I’m really looking forward to this season.”
Though last year’s team graduated many of its stronger players and influential leaders in the Class of 2019, many upperclassmen have stepped up into a larger role on the team. “Being an upperclassman starter last season, I just tried to lead by example,” Toal said. “This year, I think it’s a mixture of leading by example and being more of a vocal presence during practices and games.”
Shuchman, along with all of the team’s younger players, looks forward to playing with the team’s older players. “I’m really excited to play with my classmates, improve my skills, and compete at a high level with the rest of the team,” Shuchman said. “But I’m especially excited to play and get closer with the upperclassmen on the team.”
“I think this is a really close-knit group. The seniors are doing a really great job leading by example,” Walker said. “I’m really looking forward to this season.” GRAYSON WALKER ’21 In particular, the recent news was especially saddening for members of the Class of 2020. This year’s Sixth Formers will never get to experience the annual trip again. “It was really sad officially hearing the news because it’s my last year and this trip is something we as a team look forward to all year,” Toal said. Despite the cancellation, the Fords remain optimistic heading into the season. Third Former Isaiah Shuchman noted the
Aidan Welsh ‘22 in practice, March 6, 2019
TYLER ZIMMER ’21
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March 2020
arts Actor of the Issue: Pearse Glavin ’20
Pearse Glavin ’20 performing in the 2019 Haverford Musical, Sweeney Todd
COMMUNICATIONS
Kethan Srinivasan ’21
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jack of all trades, Sixth Former Pearse Glavin has been active as a member of the lacrosse team, a tour guide, and captain of the Notables. But this year, Glavin has stepped into a different kind of spotlight as Billy Bigelow, the lead in this year’s spring musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel. Upper School Music Director Mr. Mark Hightower and Theater Department Chair Mr. Darren Hengst agree on Glavin’s skills. “Pearse is a natural leader,” Mr. Hengst said. “He is a vocal leader but also always sets
the bar extremely high for others.” “Glavin brings a mature perspective to his roles, both past and present. His embodiment of the character as an actor is enhanced by his superior musical abilities as a vocalist,” Mr. Hightower said. In his time at Haverford, Glavin has immersed himself in both the music and theater departments. “Most of my best memories I’ve made in Centennial Hall, whether on the stage with Mr. Hengst or in Mr. Hightower’s room with the Notables,” Pearse said. “The
two of them have been mentors for me since eighth grade, and I’ll cherish my relationship with them for the rest of my life.” He especially appreciates the teachers’ efforts to imbue more energy into rehearsal preparations. “You can truly tell they love what they do, and it’s refreshing for me to see that after a long day of school, or a tough practice,” Glavin said. Glavin is a genuine believer in theater’s benefits. “You learn to think on your feet. You
learn to have a confident presence on a stage. You learn to control your emotions and empathize with fictional people, which makes it all the easier to do so in your own relationships,” Glavin said. He describes the students who participate in these productions as “an eclectic group of people that make every rehearsal more interesting than the last.” These beliefs were especially apparent in his campaign to galvanize students to audition. “I’m a firm believer that everyone should do at least one show at Haverford before they graduate,” Glavin said. “A week before auditions for Carousel, I FaceTimed nearly half of the class of 2020 and tried to convince students to take part in the musical. I think about a dozen of them decided to do it, and I know they are all enjoying themselves.” Mr. Hightower admires Glavin’s devotion to the musical. “Pearse is an excellent leader and by example demonstrates how one should approach a rehearsal in terms of behavior, focus, and dedication,” Mr. Hightower said. “He is always on time and ready to work.” Mr. Hengst recognizes Pearse’s clear talent. “I want Pearse to be involved in the performing arts in any way possible. Whether it is performing, producing, directing, sponsoring or promoting, the performing arts as a whole are better with Pearse Glavin involved,” Mr. Hengst said. “I’ve loved every second of my time in Centennial Hall,” Glavin said, “and I hope that I’ve inspired students to try and take the stage.” Carousel opens Friday, March 13th in Centennial Hall.
Newcomers and veterans gather to spin around Carousel Aidan Boyle ’22
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n March 13–15, the performing arts departments will present the musical Carousel in Centennial Hall. The cast is composed of high school students from Haverford, Baldwin, Shipley, Merion Mercy Academy and Agnes Irwin. Sixth-former Pearse Glavin plays Billy Bigelow, a troubled man who falls in love with Julie Jordan, played by Shipley student Libby Ronon. Billy loses his life and is given one more chance on Earth to fix the mistakes he made. This musical features the largest cast ever for a Haverford School production. This is primarily due to the influx of Sixth Form cast members. “As a senior that has never participated in a theater production, I wanted to do something I’ve never done before,” Dehney said. “During the second semester I felt that there would be less stress from schoolwork, so I could better juggle lacrosse and the musical. I also looked at the play as a way to meet new people and expand my social circles, which it definitely has. I’m extremely happy to be a part of the play so far.” Although there are many new Sixth Form cast members, many of their castmates have been participating in the plays for years, including Sixth Former Pearse Glavin, who has been in the Haverford School productions since Form I. “Mrs. Fox, our costume designer, fully immersed us in various time periods. Mr. Hightower makes the music crisp and come to life. And of course, Mr. Hengst. He’s an incredible director that helps us along our own journey to understand our characters,”
Cast members in rehearsal, Sunday, March 8, 2020 Glavin said. “They’ve been some of the most me feel at home away from home,” Glavin influential people during my time in high said. school.” As in any play, Mr. Hengst will face “People ask why I always come back. challenges, but he hopes they will lead to enSure, it’s great to hear an audience applaud gaging scenes. after you sing something well, but what I will “The writers are able to make the songs always remember are the memories I make support the plot. There’s a large scene in the during practice with the people that make very beginning that takes place in many dif-
YAN GRAF ’20
ferent settings while all being set to music,” Mr. Hengst said. “We also have a carousel come out on stage so it will be a technical challenge for us.” Fourth Former Jake LaRocca said. “The cast has worked very hard in order to make the play as engaging as possible.”
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Melville’s prophetic stand against consumerism Ryan LaRocca ’20
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. ANTONIO FINK
Mr. Fink’s painting “Mujer” from the Bada Mexico exhibit, February 2020
Mr. Fink returns from succesful art show in Mexico Jonny Sonnenfeld ’20
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he October Index issue featured a piece previewing lower school art teacher Mr. Antonio Fink’s upcoming art show in Mexico. The show, known as BADA, lasted from February 6-9 and featured 100 artists, 96 of whom were drawn from an applicant pool of about 3000 people. The organizers of the event personally invited the other four artists to participate. One of those four people happened to be our very own Mr. Fink. At the time of the last article, Mr. Fink had yet to decide what art pieces he wanted to submit. “They were asking me to bring ceramics,” Mr. Fink said, “but I thought it would be a bit foolish to create the boxes and the crates and ship them, with all the risks included.” Mr. Fink’s solution to this dilemma was a series of prints. “I made all these block prints and silkscreen prints, which I’m really quite happy with,” Mr. Fink said. The absence of fragile ceramics made the journey to Mexico City far less stressful. “I didn’t stress at all,” Mr. Fink said. “I just hoped for the best.” Transporting several large boxes of prints still presented logistical challenges. “I sent a shipment ahead of me to Miami and a friend picked it up there and brought it to Mexico City,” Mr. Fink said. “I took another shipment with me as my checked bag on the plane.” The journey tested Mr. Fink’s easy-going disposition when he missed his connecting flight in Dallas. He hopped on the first plane to Mexico the next day.“When I got there on Wednesday,” Mr. Fink said, “I got there just in time to install. I went straight from the airport to the art site and stayed there until really late at night setting up.” The BADA show was housed in an unusual setting. “It was this huge, huge tent which hosted a hundred little cubicles where artists
could set up their work. I was very careful to not overpopulate my walls so I just had two prints on each of the short walls and five on the longer back wall,” Mr. Fink said. “I had nine prints hanging and every one of them sold, and I took printed copies of every sample I took, it was very gratifying to sell all the stuff that I took,” Mr. Fink said. “I would say it was pretty successful.” “It was an incredible week in Mexico because it was the Mexico City art week where four very big shows happen in one week and they all advertise together so people came from all over to go to all four,” Mr. Fink said. Mr. Fink said there was a second reason for the show’s success. “Rafael Cauduro was there, he’s the most exciting, famous, and recognized guy there and he made an appearance. He’s not in the prime of his life so that brought a lot of people in,” Mr. Fink said. “To have shown in the same space as him is a really positive thing.” The show displayed an incredible variety of artists. “There was a photographer that was unbelievable,” Mr. Fink said, “and there was a painter who was painting these humongous heads. It was very fresh, very uplifting to see. I also saw video installations that were completely off the grid and had a completely different approach to sales.” Mr. Fink understands that his success at the show was not limited to sales. “I think I am going back spring break,” he said, “because three galleries have contacted me since the show, one in Lisbon, Portugal, one in New York, and one in Mexico City, so I think I am going back to consolidate a deal with the Mexican gallery.” Mr. Fink’s enthusiasm for this event showed itself in his plan for next year. “I think I am going to do it again next year, but instead I will go to Mexico in the summer and make ceramic pieces in Mexico and then I will sell them when the show comes around.”
ucci Belts, iPhones, and Yeezys— wanting and buying such expensive items is what we should do, right? Wrong! In fact, as the great Herman Melville warned us over one hundred and fifty years ago, material possessions represent everything that lies amiss with American society. Melville offers a commentary on American materialism in his novella, Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street. Set in New York City during the heart of the transcendentalist movement, Melville’s 1853 tale features Bartleby, a nineteenth-century scrivener (someone who reads and manually copies legal documents) who lacks upward mobility. In line with movements like transcendentalism, which opposed conformity and materialism during the mid-1800s, Melville’s protagonist refuses to conform to society’s expectations. Sensing his inability to move up in the world as the story progresses, Bartleby refuses to perform his job. Comedically, whenever Bartleby’s employer asks him to complete his work, Bartleby always replies with one simple phrase: “I would prefer not to.” Though Bartleby ends up losing his job, this five-word response he repeatedly employs vitalizes the entire nonconformity movement. Although resistance to society’s expectations might make life more challenging, nobody is required to do something they do not wish to do. After refusing to leave the premises of his previous job, Bartleby finds himself incarcerated and ultimately starves himself to death. As a result, the scrivener becomes a martyr for the nonconformity movement and never does give into society’s expectations. In this twenty-first century world of financial pursuit, materialism, and commercialism, it should come as no surprise that Melville’s tale still holds significance for a contemporary audience. The rise of conformity and consumerism Melville witnessed as he penned Bartleby has only worsened; almost a century later, his message has become even more prevalent. Melville’s story today captivates any contemporary reader’s attention long enough to warn against consumerism, specifically that in modern society. Society has become everything that Melville envisioned and warned us about in
Bartleby. Each year, there exists higher job turnover than ever before, with the emerging millennial generation pursuing every higherpaying opportunity within reach. Recently, opportunists like the Kardashians and the Paul brothers on YouTube have risen to stardom, and even hold significant roles in American culture for doing little worthwhile. As Melville warned, people spend lavishly to keep up with the newest trends rather than saving for the future. People no longer become cool by being kind and genuine; they become cool by keeping up with these trends. Society has become so obsessed with the newest technologies and designer clothing that it has become a shadow of its former self. Americans no longer care about other Americans.
GEORGE G. ROCKWOOD VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
A portrait of Herman Melville thirty years after penning his short story
America no longer remains solely a symbol of hard-work and liberty. Our great nation, just as Melville warned us it would, has come to represent obnoxious lifestyles and gaudy trends. It’s sickening. Melville’s story is not—and should not be interpreted as—an attempt to convince readers to refuse to work, abandon ambitions, or be perpetually lazy. Through his Wall Street tale, Melville does not promote or even condone civil disobedience and starvation for readers who find themselves unhappy with their current living situations. Rather, Melville urges readers to seek lives that bring happiness rather than to just keep up with the latest trend.
Carson De Marco ’20 delves into Melville’s tale during class
RYAN LAROCCA ’20
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“Cradles” shakes up alternative rock Tucker Wurman ’20
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toy piano is the last instrument one would expect to hear in an alternative rock song. Written by Danny Maisonneuve, Sub Urban’s 2019 release, “Cradles,” features an interesting combination of a slightly off-putting beat reminiscent of a Tim Burton film, lyrics that make the listener pause, a toy piano, video game coin-collection sounds, and a relevant message to convey to modern audiences. Lyrics like, “I see the world through eyes covered in ink and bleach / Cross out the ones who heard my cries and watched me weep” and the final lines “Got dirty little lullabies playing on repeat / Might as well rot around the nursery and count sheep” stand out in comparison to other alternative rock songs. The chorus also keeps up the unusual themes seen throughout the rest of the song, “I love everything / Fire spreading all around my room / My world’s so bright / It’s hard to breathe but that’s alright / Hush.” That lyric is immediately followed by a toy piano solo. So what is the artist trying to say with all these strange lyrics and stylistic choices?
The answer changes from verse to verse. The overall theme, though, is methods for dealing with life’s problems. The first verse talks about how people often retreat to their own personal realities when strife arises, and the chorus then emphasizes this point by using fire as a metaphor for life’s hardships and saying that, even though “fires” spread, everything is fine within his own little world. The second verse talks about society’s response. People are often forced to face reality and that chaos can make people feel insecure or that they have no control over their own life. The final verse comments on human nature with the lines, “Devils hide behind redemption / Honesty is a one-way gate to hell.” The previous pair of lines comment on human interaction. The singer enjoys talking to people whom he can “taste [their] content.” In the outro, the singer points out that he “just [wants to] be carefree.” He mentions that he’s lucky to be where he is—he’s got
APPLE MUSIC
“one too many quarters in [his] pocket”— before transitioning to a rather cryptic ending that appears to refer to high-dose prescriptions causing sleeping during school and insomnia growing up. These ideas are fairly easy to see in the lyrics, aside from those final four lines, and the artist intends his message for a modern-
day audience. The work goes against current musical conventions in the same way that the lyrics seemingly go against societal norms. For those looking for a different take on alternative rock, Sub Urban may just have what they’re looking for. Even those who are looking for something like that, as the lyrics say, “It’s music till the wick burns out.”
Artists join Shipley’s Main Line Art Show Evan Brabson ’20
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Tyler Zimmer ’21 poses next to one of his colored-pencil drawings
MR. CHRIS FOX
rt students recently had the opportunity to exhibit some of their pieces in shows outside of the school community. Several students displayed their work at the Inter-School Student Art Exhibition at Shipley. The show ran from February 10 to March 12, drawing art from local private schools, including Haverford, Shipley, Agnes Irwin, Baldwin, Episcopal, and Friends’ Central. Sixth Form entries include Bobby Blewett’s epoxy and wood table, Drew Paradis’ French cleat hanger, Zach Sumner’s wooden rings, Noah Rubien’s still-life painting, Vincent Scauzzo’s colored-pencil drawing of the school’s track, and Andrew Tornetta’s painting of a fish. Fifth Former Tyler Zimmer submitted a colored-pencil drawing, while Fourth Formers Patrick Donaher and Brendan Sullivan submitted green-
screen videos. A handful of students also sent pieces to the 42nd Annual Montgomery County High School Exhibition at Montgomery County Community College. The works are on display from March 3 to March 27. This show collects art from large public schools as well as private schools across Montgomery County. Tornetta submitted a realist painting of a waterfall and mountain nature setting, while Donaher displayed an image he created in Adobe Illustrator. According to the Art Department Chair Mr. Chris Fox, art teachers select appropriate pieces for the show. Students in all four mediums, including 3D, 2D, ceramics, and digital art, entered the shows. “We want to connect Haverford students to the broader art community,” Mr. Fox said.
SZA’s sweet sounds of sickened love Conor Wood ’20
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usic nowadays usually follows a familiar trend—first verse, chorus, second verse, chorus again, and finish. It’s simple, yet effective. Few songs seem to deviate from the standard routine, but if done effectively, the outcome results in something special. “Warm Winds,” by SZA featuring Isaiah Rashad, is one of those special cases. “Warm Winds” describes how breakups can be handled in not one, but two ways. You can either walk away or allow yourself to be pulled back to their side. The song’s first half follows a slow, worn-out beat with vocals and synthetic instrumental that could best be described as tired and conflicted as SZA talks about how her partner consistently lets her down. She desperately wants her partner to “show her a better way,” but that hope is fading fast. One can feel SZA’s distress in the way the instrumentals seem to trod on in a repetitive, yet effective pattern. “Show me a better way, I wish you
could, show me a better way.” The second part of the song rolls in when she finally stops pleading for change. The song cuts out and is soon followed by a hollow wind. The key and instrumentals change to a somber tone that could be best described as a rainy, lonely night.
“Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly far, far, away” The words “Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly far, far, away” are repeated softly. SZA begins to sing again, this time a different song with Rashad backing her up. She sings of “lonely thoughts on Thursday nights” and haunting memories of past loves. The tone change in this song is what makes it so special. She finally decides to move away from her partner and even though it hurts, she knows it was the best course of action.
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American R&B Singer SZA Performing on August 23, 2017 on Ctrl the Tour by The Come Up Show
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Tame Impala releases The Slow Rush Isaiah Shuchman ’23
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his February, the popular Aussie indie rock group Tame Impala released its fourth studio album The Slow Rush.
The latest project by Kevin Parker, the lead singer, guitarist, writer, editor, mixer, and everything in between, was highly anticipated after a five-year wait since his break-
POLYDOR AND NEIL KRUG
out album Currents. Since Currents, Parker has headlined Coachella, married, and performed on Saturday Night Live. Parker’s trippy style of psychedelic rock reflects his self-diagnosed perfectionism. Listening to Tame, with their repeated lyrics, strong baselines, and trance-like music allow his listeners to silence their overly anxious minds—something that in the current atmosphere has not gone unappreciated. Parker tries to embody this when he records too. As someone who writes, mixes, and sings every line on each of his albums he is prone to doubt and overthinking. Tame Impala’s music may seem to be effortless and improvised as well, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every song on the album is meticulously crafted to send a certain message in a certain way and takes an incredible amount of time to produce. During the final stages of production, however, tragedy struck when Parker’s rental home and all of his gear was incinerated in the historic Woolsey Fire. Parker was forced to flee with his laptop, his life, and his Vintage Hofner bass, “the only thing, really, that I care about losing.” Despite this, he continued to work on The Slow Rush and it has clearly paid off. The album is extraordinarily detailed and reaches into many different genres of the last 50 years. During an interview, Parker described
the album as somewhere between Philly soul, acid house, and contemporary R&B. Parker doesn’t sample anything, but he is able to emulate the sound of other musicians such as Jimmy Page on “Posthumous Forgiveness” and Daryl Hall on “On Track.” This sampled feel coupled with his use of boom-bap style drums make his music feel in touch with hip-hop culture, which has helped propel Tame Impala to mainstream popularity. Parker’s perfectionist mindset can be exemplified in the middle of his seven-minute closing track “One More Hour.” He sings, “As long as I can, as long as I can spend some time alone,” on top of steady piano chords. Suddenly there is heavy apocalyptic guitar, crashing drums, and Moog synthesizers firing all over. The effect is like that of having multiple YouTube videos playing at the same time.
Controlled, but somehow beautiful chaos, the work of a perfectionist. Controlled, but somehow beautiful chaos, the work of a perfectionist.
Theo Katzman is Modern Johnny Anthony Dignazio ’20
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hen the name Theo Katzman hits the ears of modern music fans, most immediately think of the breakout new-age funk band Vulfpeck. With the release of Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe, Katzman proves he is much more than that. As one of the highest contributing members of Vulfpeck, the funk-jazz multiinstrumentalist has spent most of his time touring and recording for the group. In his free time, Katzman finds himself writing songs of heartbreak, love, and freedom, all of which play a big role in Modern Johnny Sings.
As the emotional rollercoaster of significant ups and downs begins, the isntrumetnal’s tone reciprocates this with equal up and down movements. This is no ordinary album, rather a collection of three EPs from “Modern Johnny’s” point of view. With the help of Vulfpeck’s current bass player, Joe Dart, Katzman’s story unfolds into the music, creating the “vibe” of his tale. As the emotional rollercoaster of significant ups and downs begins, the instrumental’s tone reciprocates this with equal ups and down movements. Starting the story as a young man trying to break out of the status quo and follow his own way, Modern Johnny: Songs in the Age of Vibe begins its story with an upbeat, innocent vibe in “You Could be President.” Which quickly turns as the second part of the album and story of “Modern Johnny” with the tear-jerking “What Did You Mean?” A lyrical display of the dark truth of relationships in today’s world, that love may not mean what it used to. “Love / It’s more than just a word /
You thought that you could test the waters / Droppin’ the atom bomb / Now the water’s turning red / And all the fish are dead.” Unfortunately for Modern Johnny and many others, what once was a sea of love has now turned red. For the second part of Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe, a tissue box is essential. The beginning to the third part of Theo Katzman’s masterpiece starts with the funky “Best,” giving the listener a quick reminder of who he is at heart. More than that, the story of Modern Johnny begins with his learning the hard truth known only by veterans of heartbreak, that moving on is best. Before achieving the end of the journey to acceptance, Modern Johnny relapses to his sadness reflecting on his lost relationship in “Fog in the Mirror.” A light shining into the true reality of losing someone you love. “How would you like it, / To be confused by a sad romantic / Looking for a muse? / I’m sorry to say / That’s the best that I can do.” That is quite a question, Johnny. To lose his lover was to lose his life. Now, Modern Johnny is alone living a lie of acceptance when all he wants is to go back to the fog in the mirror. To his past.
CHRIS HAHN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Theo Katzman performing at The Crystal Ballroom, May 26, 2017
Ending the album on a bit of a sad note, Theo Katzman brings it home in “All’s Well That Ends Well.” Ending the album on a bit of a sad note, Theo Katzman brings it home in “All’s Well That Ends Well.” The multi-instrumentalist takes a more stripped folk storytelling style to the ending of Modern Johnny as well as the story of the difficulties of heartbreak in life. While it may seem so hard to come out on top, simply and well put, “All’s Well That Ends Well.” APPLE MUSIC
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Kanye West: this is a God dream
ANGEL LAWS VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Kanye West producing a song in a studio Chris Hyland ’20
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anye West, one of the most creative minds in contemporary culture, defies the label of artist, rapper, or producer; instead, he serves as a conduit for cutting-edge trends in pop culture. The album Life of Pablo represents West’s first foray into a self-proclaimed “gospel album, with a whole lot of cursing on it.” West uses his inimitable sampling style to blend musical genres and conveys deep emotions to his audience through his lyrics, culminating in his critically acclaimed single, “Ultralight Beam.” West assembled a diverse group of talented musicians to craft the single, with the notable inclusion of fellow Chicago artist Chance the Rapper. In an interview with Acclaim Magazine, Chance said, “‘Ultralight Beam’ is about Kanye’s faith in God. Whenever [West’s] down or feels he can’t fight anymore, he searches for the light and knows, in God’s hands, everything will be alright.” Chance, who also helped produce the song, knew West wanted his song to communicate this consoling vision of God. This ambition may explain why West and associate producer Derrick Watkins (Fonzworth Bentley) decided to sample a viral Instagram post from four-year-old Natalie Greene: “Yes, God we don’t want no devils in the house, God. We want the lord and that’s it Hallejhand over Satan Jesus praise the Lord.” This sample lasts a full twenty-six seconds, an eternity on a Kanye West record. West wants his audience to feel what Greene was preaching. He layers Greene’s words with repeated synth stabs and melodic humming of his own. In typical Kanye fashion, he seamlessly samples and blends an Instagram post, a melody, and Swizz Beatz drums to create the most memorable hook of his career. Watkins also knew he needed to coproduce the song with Kanye after he heard Mike Dean’s guitar chord progressions. Wat-
kins called the chords “powerful and anointing as if they were blessed by God.” Watkins joined the project and helped maximize the effect of the immense talent Kanye recruited. Fans of Life of Pablo and “Ultralight Beam” have Watkins to thank for the formation of the verses. He listened to countless freestyles and, with the help of West, arranged the verses to provide the smoothest flow of West’s career.
West crafted an emotional chorus that connected the hopefuls and hopeless to God. With help from The Game and a church
PETER HUCHINS VIA WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Kanye West performing on his 2013 worldwide tour I’m tryna keep my faith/we on an ultralight beam 1
Lyrics
choir, West crafted an emotional chorus that connected the hopefuls and hopeless to God.1 While West preaches, the audience hears Mike Dean’s “powerful and anointing” chords.” The innovation and creativity behind this chorus inspired fellow contributors Chance and Kelly Price to illuminate their own spiritual lives. Price’s vocals call out to God in need: “Don’t have much strength to fight/So I look to the light/ Hey, cause I know that you’ll make everything alright/ And I know that you’ll take good care of your child.” Price exhibits her faith in God and her willingness to look to him for healing and guidance. Upon the release of Life of Pablo, Price publicly shared her appreciation for “Ultralight Beam” by calling it “a street par-
able” that focused on pain and atonement. Chance continues to explore this theme in his verse, which incorporates multiple biblical and pop culture references: “When they come for You,” he sings, I will shield Your name/ I will field their questions/ I will feel Your pain.” The meaning behind his words remains hotly debated. Nonetheless, the most popular interpretation is that Chance describes here how he will defend God’s name from all of the non-believers. None can know God, and Chance pledges his loyalty to His will. Chance furthers the soulful vibe.2 Chance told Genius, “The Tubman line refers to my own leadership of all other artists towards independence and freedom.” The verse also references the song “Sunday Candy” from his 2015 album Surf, as well as Kanye West’s song “Otis,” in which West boasts, “I made Jesus Walks, I’m never going to Hell.” Chance portrays West as a savior, and to many, he is. Four minutes and forty-one seconds into the song, the audience hears the outro performed by critically acclaimed artist and minister Kirk Franklin. Franklin ends “Ultralight Beam” by granting Greene’s wish featured in the intro. He prays earnestly to the Lord.3 Franklin wanted “Ultralight Beam” to end with a message of hope. He wanted the people who believe that God would reject them for their flaws and failures to feel loved and accepted. God always gives a second chance. Through Franklin’s words, the audience sees that God is the all-knowing healer that leads one to the light. Pre-release, “Ultralight Beam” was positioned as the final song in The Life of Pablo, marking the end of Pablo’s self-exploration; Pablo, the album’s titular protagonist, had finally found the direct connection to God that goes straight to Heaven. However, days before release, West made the executive decision to make “Ultralight Beam” the album’s opening song. It seems that he knew this track was one of his best and wanted as many people to hear it as possible. From Greene’s sample to the final preacher’s call, the audience experiences the cascade of sampling that fills their spirit anew as they seek the ultralight beam.
You can feel the lyrics, the spirit coming in braille Tubman of the underground, come and follow the trail I made Sunday Candy, I’m never going to hell I met Kanye West, I’m never going to fail. 2
Father, this prayer is for everyone that feels they’re not good enough This prayer’s for everybody that feel that they’re too messed up For everyone that feels they’ve said ‘I’m sorry’ too many times You can never go too far when you can’t come back home again That’s why I need… Faith, more, safe, war. 3