The Index Eutαxia Swzein Dokei
Volume LXXIII, No. 9
May 2012
Haverford, Pennsylvania
Disruptions in Centennial: Serious Problem? Students and faculty have raised concerns about the behavior of Haverford students during assemblies. James Shecter ‘13 investigates. James Shecter ‘13
This year, the student body has had the privilege of being the audience for some of the most informative, intense, provocative, and flat-out brilliant assemblies and reflections in recent memory. Myriad problems are prevalent when students gather in Centennial: students can regularly be seen sleeping, eating, texting, talking, laughing, studying, slouching, and generally not focusing on the speaker. According to several faculty members and students, these issues are embarrassing for the Haverford community. The month of April saw over five special
assemblies. Some more recent noteworthy presentations include Fifth Former Max Schmidt’s brilliant personal speech, Mr. Joe Feldman’s warning against distracted driving, Dr. Gupta’s clever analyses of the global economy, and Mr. Scot Robinson’s incomparable saga. During practically all of these presentations, the student body’s level of respect was not as high as it could have been. Mr. Joseph Sweeney gives his general assessment, stating, “I think on the whole, Haverford boys are well-behaved during assemblies, and they comport themselves well… [but] some students struggle to maintain their attention when
Haverford Teachers Have Homework Too
Peter Thompson ‘13 interviews teachers from all walks of life and backgrounds to find out if they are as stressed as Haverford students themselves complain to be. Peter Thompson ‘13
The student workload is a generally accepted characteristic of Haverford. It is
and coaches JV Squash in the winter. She has been teaching English for sixteen years and has created methods of doing so that work best for her.
Mrs. Smedley works to prepare a class next to a stack of Dr. Pepper.
not rare to hear students complaining about the mix of curriculum, sports, colleges, and unrelated commitments that take up their time. But what about teachers? They certainly don’t complain as much as students, but is that for good reason? Do teachers undergo the same type of stress that students bear? The answer is yes, as will be explained in the following five interpretations of the teacher workload. Ms. Smedley teaches two sections of Third Form English and two sections of Fifth Form English. Simultaneously, she tutors in the writing center, advises the Diversity Alliance,
Also inside the Issue...
Index Staff
When asked about her personal experience at Haverford, Ms. Smedley states, “It’s a lot of work”; however, she quickly points out that she loves it. As a former boarding school teacher, Ms. Smedley has been through worse. Inherent in any boarding school job description is the ability to be available for students throughout the entire day. Ms. Smedley found herself teaching during the day, coaching in the afternoon, preparing curriculum and grading at night, as well as monitoring her respective dorm. Continued on Page 4
they don’t find the content or the delivery particularly engaging.” Mr. Sweeney also notes cleverly, “The unfortunate part is those who fail to live up to [our] standards are obvious in their failure to do so, and it might give the misimpression that this is the way Haverford school boys are.” But what exactly are these “standards”? Mr. Fifer explains, “At the beginning of the year, we tried to set some basic, simple expectations for behavior in Centennial, and they were: sit up in your seat, do not talk to your neighbor when someone’s addressing the audience, and put your phone away.”
Ms. Rebecca Smedley, a prominent student somnolencestopper, recently observed “a Sixth Former in the front and center, slouched in his seat, a sweatshirt on, no jacket, with his eyes closed, unabashedly sleeping. Right under the speaker!” This “egregiously rude” theme, to Ms. Smedley, has been recurring far too often, and she explains that Haverford folks are not the only ones to notice. After the Hallowell Lecture this year, Ms. Smedley said, Poet Paul Zarzyski addressed some staff members, including Dr. Cox. Ms. Dawn Blake Continued on Page 3
Vision Warrior Scot Robinson was one of the more recent speakers to visit Haverford.
Robotics Team Hikes to World-Class Status
Tadas Antanavicius ‘12 follows the transformation of Haverford Robotics from a small, under-funded club to the near world champions that the team members now are. Tadas Antanavicius ‘12
became the advisor.” With some help from engineers at UPenn, Once a forgotten entity, Haverford’s Haverford Robotics was finally born. Yet, Robotics program has climbed to the forefront success was sparse, partially due to the of attention. With a herd of robots, a trophy expensive nature of FIRST, a price that a small case that has begun to rival that of DECA, high school team like that of Haverford could and a banner hung in the main hallway not compete with. Eventually, for all to see, Haverford the team decided to give the Robotics is no longer the fledgling VEX program a try afterthought it once was. in 2009. It all began with one VEX was new, having student’s lofty idea. started only a few years Jason Schutzbank ’05 back in 2007. Team heads undertook an interest Mr. Gerard Rooney and in FIRST Robotics, Mrs. Connolly thought a program in which it would be better for teams spend six Haverford: it was cheaper weeks building and and the smaller nature of programming one the robots allowed more large robot to perform to be built and thus more a certain task. students became He approached involved in the Director of build process. Technology Despite an Mrs. Megan unsuccessful Connolly about 2009-2010 forming a season, Mrs. team in 2002. Connolly At first, they refused to give took part in a up. Led on by lesser, basic the “student Robotics enthusiasm” program exhibited by called students like Index Staff Botball, but Schutzbank The Cavalry achieved the title of World Division Champions this year. Schutzbank and her “own was not satisfied; he still wanted to do FIRST. learning,” she kept with it and As always, funding was an issue. Not to issued some radical changes for the upcoming mention the fact that many high schools had season. teams of about 50 kids and 10 or so mentors. She brought in two college students, Chuck Nevertheless, Mrs. Connolly recalls, “I told Glick and Andrew Adaman, with years of him I would help him if he got the $6000 robotics and VEX experience to mentor the grant offered by NASA. He got the grant, so I team. Continued on Page 5
What would the world be like if there were no restrictions on drugs? Erich Prince ‘13 insists that full legalization of all drugs would be of benefit to society. Read his opinion on Page 18.
Article Farewells Senior Projects Habitat for Humanity “From the Vault” Mr. Maley Students and Stimulants Instagram Music Marvel Movie May
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Article Page Spanish Trip (en español) 12 Language Consortium 12 Eating Froyo with Sam 13 Dancefloor Diplomacy 13 Open-Mic Night 14 Boyek’s Art 14 Student Lounge 14 Sports 15 Opinion on Assemblies 19