Issue 7

Record The Horace Mann

OCTOBER 25TH, 2019 || VOLUME 117, ISSUE 7

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

The Mann, the myth, the legend

The Record explores the history of the men whose names we use daily: Horace Mann, Tillinghast, Pforzheimer, and Prettyman Abby Beckler and Henry Owens Staff Writers “Horace Mann is undeniably the greatest name in the history of American education,” Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote. For the school to be named after a great educator may seem fitting - in many ways, Mann’s values as an educator align with the school. But as a promoter of public education, Mann may have not supported a private institution such as ours.

As an educator, lawyer, and politician, Mann established Massachusetts’ public school system in the middle of the 19th century that served as a model of public education for many other states. Mann strongly believed in the availability of free education as well as the quality of faculty in the public school system. His vision of what an education should entail is in many ways aligned with the school’s current goal, which is “to prepare a diverse community of students to lead great and giving lives,” according to the school’s mission statement.

Although the school is named after him, Mann was never involved with the school directly, as it was founded nearly three decades after his death. The school was originally named The Model School in the early 1890’s, but school administrators decided to change the name because it seemed vague as to what the school was in fact modelling, according to “The First Hundred Years” by English teacher Harry Bauld and co-author Jerome Kissinger.

Nicolas Murray Butler, president of Columbia University for 43 years, founded The Model School as a coeducational experimental and developmental unit of Teachers College, Columbia University, according to the school’s website. When the school was first created, many assumed “that Horace Mann was the name of its principal and director,” as Butler receiving many letters addressed to “Mr. Mann.”

Even though Mann was not directly involved in the school, he is still an important historical figure. The Middle Division (MD) curriculum includes a brief unit on Mann at the very beginning of seventh grade, where students use primary sources to form an argument as to whether Mann would have approved of the school.

“Students often have very strong arguments why he wouldn’t necessarily approve of his name being used for the school,” MD History Department Chair John McNally said. “Horace Mann is, first of all, an amazing visionary, but it’s pretty clear that he’s very much against private schools as a way to draw away from the resources of public schools and also draw away the talent from public schools.”

For his side of the discussion, Logan Scharlatt (7) wrote that Mann would not approve of the school today. In his paper, Scharlatt mentioned that while the school’s core values support Mann’s ideas, the limited size of the student body and the high financial burden of tuition are reasons as to why Mann would not like the school, he said.

The Upper Division (UD), unlike the MD, does not work Mann into the official curriculum. Some classes, however, do cover some of the Mann’s contributions to education. In UD History Teacher Dr. Ellen Bales’ 10th grade US History class, students read and discuss case studies in order to delve further into certain topics, including the rise of public education in the United States, where they discuss Mann’s influence.

For Eliza Bender (12), these case studies allowed for her to gain a more in depth understanding of Mann and public education in this country, she said. Because of Mann’s importance to the school, the class was able to learn about Mann’s accomplishments that are often overlooked in textbooks, Bender said.

Many students believe that Horace Mann should be discussed in history classes throughout high school, not just because he is the school’s namesake, but because of his profound impact on the American education system.

see Historical profiles on pg. 4

Alum talks with students about carbon dividend plan Henry Owens Staff Writer

Alexander Posner ’13 talked to students on Monday about carbon dividends, a proposed idea for the fight against climate change. Posner is the President of Students for Carbon Dividends (S4CD), a national coalition dedicated to promoting the ultimate passage of federal carbon dividend legislation. He delivered his presentation twice, first to an ethics class and later to a small group of students interested in the movement. He was invited by Roey Nornberg (12) and Belle Beyer (12), who have been working with S4CD for several months to establish a chapter of the organization at the school.

To start his presentation, Posner explained some of the nuances of climate change. He said that warming is inevitable, and the only question is how

extreme it will be. Although the worst case scenario may be only several degrees of warming, that scenario is analogous to a bed ridden person having a fever several degrees above normal, Posner said.

“I’m going to remember that forever because it just it stuck with me so much,” Tiger Moreno (12), a member of the ethics class to which Posner presented, said. “He was making us think of the Earth as another human being.

I think it was a really great image to paint.”

“I thought it was really interesting the way that he framed this situation and the urgency of it,” Paul Wang (12) said. “The way he used analogies when speaking was both hilarious and effective.”

“We will do three things in response to climate as a species,” Posner said.

“We will adapt to some of it, we will prevent some of it, and we will suffer.

All three are going to happen. The mix is up to us.”

After painting a clear picture of just how extreme the climate problem is, Posner introduced the idea of carbon dividends. The carbon dividends plan has two parts: first, a tax on carbon that will gradually increase over time, and second, a rebate that gives the money from the tax directly back to the American people. Because this proposal would put a price on carbon, slow the greenhouse effect, not increase the size of government, and result in a net profit for a majority of Americans, it is the most widely supported piece of climate policy, Posner said. Carbon dividends have been endorsed through a statement backed by the largest number of economists in American history, according to the S4CD website.

“I was completely sold on how he presented this whole carbon tax idea,”

Moreno said. “What was very convincing for me was when he was talking about how bipartisan it is.”

One main goal of S4CD is to ensure the political viability of the carbon dividends plan. “You can have most wondrous plans on paper,” Posner said. “If you don’t have political viability, you are accomplishing nothing.” One primary achievement of the group has been establishing a coalition in support of the plan that consists of over 100 college groups, both liberal and conservative. All of the support from economists and colleges will be used to lobby in favor of the policy when Congress votes on the issue in 2021.

“I think it’s very inspiring, all the work that [Posner]’s doing and his passion towards making the world better,” Wang said.

Beyer and Nornberg have been talking to Posner since April about expanding S4CD to include high school

students.

“We are trying to launch a national movement of high schoolers in support of this plan,” Nornberg said. “The first thing we want to do is to get different student leaders across New York City, and then maybe New York State, and get as many student leaders to sign up to support this plan as we can.”

A statement with the support of high schoolers from across the country could help push the legislation in 2021, Beyer said.

“Carbon dividends is a bipartisan plan,” she said. “So it doesn’t matter whether you’re Republican or Democrat or how extreme your views are; it’s something that we can all unite behind.”

“Horace Mann students are movers and shakers, and solving climate change is no exception,” Posner said.

“It’s exciting to see HM students leading on this important effort.”

OPINIONS

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Editor-in-Chief Julia Robbins Managing Editor Mayanka Dhingra Issues Editor Jude Herwitz Features Nelson Gaillard Gabby Kepnes Kiara Royer News Amelia Feiner Madison Li Sam Keimweiss Simon Yang

THE RECORD OPINIONS OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Hatred isn’t heroism: Forming bridges, not barriers

Noah Phillips I grew up in a predominantly Jewish environment. I attended Jewish day schools, am a regular and ardent advocate of my synagogue, and am known --for better or worse-- as a “Jewish” individual throughout the Horace Mann community.

And just as my Jewish faith and practice have governed much of my young life, so has an emphasis on interfaith building. In particular, my relationship with Naz, my former caretaker and presently a family and personal friend. Naz is a practicing Muslim who immigrated from Guyana nearly two decades ago and has been a crucial figure in my upbringing. I’ve attended Mosque with Naz, as she attended synagogue with me. Naz was the first

person present at my Bar Mitzvah given our closeness, but to the astonishment of many, due to her visible hijab.

It’s through my deeply personal relationship with Naz that I’ve had the opportunity to explore the common struggles of both the Jewish and Muslim faiths. The anti-Semitism I’ve experienced--from harrassment on nights when I choose to proudly wear my yarmulke, to bigotry on social media--coincides significantly with a lot of what Naz, and millions of other Muslims and Jews have experienced as well.

Maxwell Shopkorn/Staff Photographer

ASSEMBLING FOR UNITY Daisy Khan speaks at assembly.

Lions’ Den Darius McCullough Mark Fernandez Ranya Sareen Andrew Cassino

Middle Division Ben Wang Isabella Zhang Design Editors Euwan Kim Reena Ye Chris Ha Art Directors Annabelle Chan Gabrielle Fischberg Katya Arutyunyan Photography Griffin Smith Ahaan Palla Jake Shapiro Faculty Adviser David Berenson

Staff Writers Izzy Abbott, Adrian Arnaboldi, Abby Beckler, Bradley Bennett, Sam Chiang, Sogona Cisse, Jack Crovitz, Adam Frommer, Andie Goldmacher, Julia Goldberg, Andie Goldmacher, Alison Isko, Avi Kapadia, Marina Kazarian, John Mauro, Yesh Nikam, Henry Owens, Oliver Steinman, Emily Shi, Samuel Singer, Natalie Sweet, Sasha Snyder, Vivien Sweet, Joshua Underberg, Talia Winiarsky, Chloe Choi, Emma Colacino, Yin Fei, Lucas Glickman, Claire Goldberg, Liliana Greyf, Lauren Ho, Walker McCarthy, Maya Nornberg, Morgan Smith, Patrick Steinbaug, Katya Tolunsky, Nathan Zelizer Staff Photographers Julia Isko, Daniel Lee, Ava Merker, Kelly Troop, Halley Robbins, Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Maxwell Shopkorn, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho Staff Artists Wilder Harwood, Sarah Sun, Rachel Zhu

another are inherently divisive and counterproductive themselves.

So when Daisy Khan, an internationally-recognized champion of intersectional justice and equity, presented an image of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar as a “Muslim hero,” I was shaken.

Omar, despite having entered the chambers of Congress in an official capacity only this year, spouts anti-Semitic bigotry and divisive rhetoric, contributing to the global religious divide. “She has said Israel has hypnotized the world and declared her hope that Allah will awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel... She accused her House colleagues who support Israel of pushing ‘for allegiance to a foreign country.’ And she has suggested support for Israel is ‘all about the Benjamins.’ She later apologized for the last comment, but not all the others,” according to a New York Post article.

It was inappropriate for Khan to associate Omar with the fight against Islamaphobia and general religious discrimination in any context. For any progressive, mutually beneficial outcome to occur, a unified front against religious intolerance and discrimination is of the utmost importance.

Breaking down “back to the Bronx”

Opinions Victor Dimitrov Abigail Salzhauer

A&E Nishtha Sharma Eliza Poster Eddie Jin

According to the online encylopedia, Jewish Virtual Library, nationwide in 2017, “A breakdown of the offenses shows that 60% of religious hate crimes were anti-Jewish, 17% were anti-Islamic and 5% were anti-Catholic. Anti-Semitic hate crimes increased by 37% while anti-Islamic crimes declined by 11%.”

The fight to counter religious discrimination, be it anti-Semitism, Islamaphobia, the persecution of Christians, or otherwise, remains one and the same across the various major faiths, and attempts to distinguish or diminish one fight from

Nshera Tutu

tion stems from what people have learned from their families and environment as they grow, the remainder of that education comes from the school. I believe the school has failed in establishing a relationship between Horace Mann and the greater Bronx community.

Roughly ten percent of the student body lives in the Bronx, which is disappointing to me given the location of the school. Additionally, most Horace Mann students who do not live in the Bronx only experience it through various service learning projects in the school. While largely beneficial to the public, these projects often reinforce the negative stereotypes about inhabitants in the Bronx. That becomes especially problematic once the

decision is made to claim a part of their culture, especially when no credit is given to the people who embody it. No mention of the history of “Boogie Down [Bronx],” a nod to the borough’s contributions to the creation of hip hop, was made in the email or over the course of the entire event.

For the HM community to consistently disregard such a large part of the Bronx, yet simultaneously try to embody the positive attributes that it so often shuns, is disrespectful to those who call the Bronx their home. The effort made is commendable, but I believe that with the pervasive attitudes and lack of knowledge in the student body, we are in no position to display such a bold phrase.

Rachael Zhu/Staff Artist

When I saw the “Back to the Bronx” slogan emblazoned on the front of this year’s Homecoming shirt, my immediate reaction was surprise and confusion. Back to the Bronx implies that we left the Bronx, which is geographically inaccurate (contrary to widespread belief, Riverdale IS in the Bronx). After reading the weekly email sent to parents, in which they were warmly invited to “Boogie Down’ in the tent as a community, I began reflecting on the dominant perception of the Bronx in our school community.

It’s no secret that people at Horace Mann, a community where a large portion of students are fortunate to come from affluent backgrounds and areas in the New York metropolitan area, are not incredibly fond of the Bronx. As a proud lifelong resident of the Bronx, I am more aware of the way people speak about my home.

For years, I have watched the misguided Manhattan resident stumble onto my bus, and rapidly dash off after hearing that it’s one of the school’s crowded Bronx buses, often clutching their belongings and avoiding eye contact. I always pick up on people’s hesitance to go down the hill, or to interact with people in society who don’t match their background. Although some of that percep-

EDITORIAL: Our community needs to reassess holidays

With Diwali around the corner, we have the perfect opportunity to reflect upon our religious observances as a community. For years, students, particularly those who identify as Asian, have been discussing the lack of days off for holidays that a substantial amount of the student body celebrates. We’re not saying we have an exact solution for which days to have on and off, and we understand that coming to a consensus is difficult given the diversity of our student body. However, we’re a school that embraces difficult conversations when we know we can come together to agree on positive solutions. As we become increasingly diverse, it’s worthwhile to revisit how we approach our calendar and discuss religion and culture in a more inclusive way. We propose having some type of student-faculty forum that addresses these concerns. There is no easy answer to this issue, but the current situation is just not sustainable. It marginalizes those outside Judeo-Christian religious traditions. We need to have student voices represented from all different cultures and religions. Let’s create positive change through constructive discussion and break with a largely antiquated status quo.

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HORACE MANN NEWS OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Asoluka’s NewComm class visits Kingsbridge Heights community center Vivien Sweet Staff Writer Last Wednesday, English teacher Chidi Asoluka’s NewComm English course practiced their literary analysis skills in an unorthodox way, by going on a field trip to the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC).

NewComm, short for for New Community Project, is a “year-long social justice course that uses the study of literature as the foundation for understanding, analyzing, and making meaningful impact for our local communities,” as described in the school’s program of studies.

The class’ trip to KHCC was the first of four local field trips that they will be taking throughout the year in order to further the students’ understanding of issues such as race, class, and gender that prevail in modern society, Asoluka said.

During their time at the center, the class talked to different executives about the day-to-day schedule of the programs the KHCC runs, conduct a self reflection with the KHCC teachers, and learn about the foundations and the future of the KHCC. The next day, the class discussed the similarities and the differences between the field trip and the book they are currently reading, Heavy by Kiese Laymon. Heavy is a memoir about the intersection of weight, education, family, self-agency, and racial identity, Asoluka said.

The class has had two written assignments so far that have united themes from both the novel and the students’ experiences, Chloe Kim (12) said. “Both of them have sort of been a combination of analysis of the actual text as well as a reflection of our own lives based on the experiences that we’ve been reading about in the book.”

Although several class members are al-

ready connected to the KHCC through the service learning team, Asoluka intends to take that relationship a step further by pushing for students to use the lens with which they analyzed Heavy to reexamine a nonprofit such as KHCC. “Often when we are doing service, the lens in which we engage with is pity. The problem with pity is it is not exactly effective. It often disrupts one from honoring or Annabelle Chan/Art Editor

respecting the complexity and richness of the people on the other end of the service,” Asoluka said. “What NewComm is trying to do is to empower students to work from the lens of empathy. Empathy allows us to show up in spaces with our most authentic self which, I think, promotes more meaningful and mindful work.”

Even though Ben Goodman (12) went to the KHCC in ninth grade, he hoped to learn more about the inner workings and purpose of the center, he said. “I’m wondering about what problems they face on a daily basis and how they overcome them, monetary issues, and the function of a nonprofit organization.”

Grace Ermias (12) has always been “aware of the way teachers interact with their students because of their own experiences,” she said. Ermias was interested in observing the teachers at KHCC that have similar backgrounds to their students, and how that impacted the way they teach them, she said.

Halley Robbins (12) was interested in putting into practice the social skills she has learned throughout the elective into real world interactions. “One of the main goals of the class is [to] try to be able to use our analytic skills that we’ve gained from reading and interpreting books onto people and communities, more real-life practical things,” Robbins said.

Similarly, Goodman believes that the trip continued the work the class has been doing through self-reflection and dissecting literature to understand the intersectional forces that affect “how you live and why you do what you do,” he said.

For Kim, NewComm has required more introspection than English classes she’s taken in previous years, she said. The trip to the KHCC will help the class look at service through a more empathic lens rather than a sympathetic one, she said.

Even though the first portion of the class focuses on literary analysis, it was crucial for Asoluka and Wilson to incorporate the study of students’ experiences in designing the class, English Department Chair Vernon Wilson said. “This course gives students a new way to see the work of the humanities extending outside of the classroom.” “[NewComm] honors what English class does every single day but adds that next layer. It’s more like, ‘Let’s do something tangible instead of just writing an essay,’” Asoluka said.

CC Corner Hi Everyone!

The Community Council (CC) has been working hard on several initiatives.

Thanks to the hard work of your CC representatives, we now have corn-hole on the field, monthly birthday cake and café lunch passes. The CC also played a role in organizing this year’s Maroon Monsoon and Thursday’s Mental Health Forum. Right now, we are working hard on a proposal for cafeteria sustainability.

For years, students have been calling for alternatives to disposable products in the cafeteria, and we have been working with school faculty and other NYC schools to learn we can be can implement more sustainable school policies. This year’s CC representatives are remarkably dedicated to improving our community, and I am confident that this will be one of the most impactful CCs in school history.

Best, Zachary Brooks

Spotlight: Weber uses his story to improve school community Courtesy of Luke Weber

FIGHT BACK Weber rocks pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Katya Tolunsky Staff Writer If you didn’t know about Luke Weber (12) in September, you probably do now. A few weeks ago Weber’s senior reflection received a minute long standing ovation from the entire Upper Division.

“The speech was not only about my personal experience, it was also a thank you to all the people who have done so much for me,” Weber said.

“I am very happy that I have such a strong sup-

port system at HM.” Weber battled cancer in his childhood, having been diagnosed with Stage IV of a very rare cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma when he was just three years old. After initially beating cancer through treatment, the cancer proceed to come back in different areas of his body two more times, when he was five and nine years old.

“It was most traumatic when I was nine years old. I was a lot more aware of it than when I was younger. My parents didn’t tell me at the time, but I didn’t even have a one percent chance of surviv-

al. My prognosis was “no known cure”.

Weber had wanted to speak in front of the entire student body for a while. “One of the reasons why talking to my peers was so different is because anyone who grew up with me in middle or lower school, or even nursery school, not only had to live next to someone who looked different, but they also had to care for me. Whether it was people carrying my backpack or sharing their notes with me when I missed class, my peers were forced to nurture me from a young age.”

Luke cares about the school community so much, said Oliver Keimweiss (12) one of Luke’s closest and oldest friends.

From being a writer and public speaker, to the co-president of the Cancer Awareness Club (CAC), Editor-in-Chief of Framework, and an active member of the HM music and theater community, Weber does it all.

Weber thinks that defeating cancer has made him a very optimistic person, he said. “I’m always thinking about the positive side of things and trying to make the best of my situation.”

Weber joined the CAC in tenth grade, where he was first the Entertainment Coordinator, and at the end of that year, former President Emma Kelly ’18 nominated him for the presidency.

“The purpose of the CAC in my mind is to bring together everybody who has an experience with cancer in one way or another,” said Weber.

“My goal is not only to expand the club but I really want the CAC to be like a family.”

For Weber’s independent study, he has chosen to write a book filled with a collection of short memoirs. Through these memoirs, he wants to express a number of different things. “It’s supposed to be a proclamation for myself and for everything that I have been through.” he said.

“In my book I’m not just talking about what I’ve been through as a cancer survivor, although that’s certainly a part of it,” Weber said. “But the vast majority of my memoirs are about today and things that are happening now.”

One of the ideas that Weber wants to commu-

nicate through his memoirs is that he is “normal,” he said. “I may be different from everybody in the way I limp around school and the way I look, but I still want the same things everybody else wants, to succeed in school and to succeed socially. I want to be happy,” he said.

Weber also wants people to understand that he is not a victim, he said. “I may be dealing with things, but I do not need to be treated any differently and I hope to make this clear through my humor and cynicism in my memoirs.”

Weber was a runner up for the Alan Breckenridge Prize for the Personal Essay last year for a series of short journal entries about his adolescence. “It started out as just a 12 page essay then it turned into 30 pages that were incredibly important to me,” Weber said. “I was really honored to be a runner up for the writing prize.”

Weber has also been an active member of the music and theater community at the school.

“Onstage and offstage, Luke has your back,” Jordan Ferdman (11) said. “He commits himself completely to each of his characters, and is both hardworking and playful as a cast member,” she said.

“I love music and theater,” Weber exclaimed.

“There was a time when I was 9 or 10 years old and I spent weeks of my summer in the hospital,” he said. “When I couldn’t be outside or at camp or doing things, I would sit in the hospital bed and I would sing or put on skits. It’s these little things throughout my life that have made me very passionate about music and theater.”

From singing the national anthem at Homecoming this year, to being a part of HMTC, Weber has always had an immense passion for the performing arts and the school was a great place to facilitate that passion and help it grow, Weber said. “I couldn’t imagine the HMTC without him,” Ferdman said.

“I would not be the person that I am today if it were not for HM holding my hand through every step of the way,” Weber said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a member of this community.”

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THE RECORD FEATURES OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

from Horace Mann page 1 “I think it would be better if we learned more about Mann in high school because we would be able to understand and comprehend his messages better than we would in middle school,” Matthew Aponte (10) said. “Also, this way, we would remember more about his messages and ideas than we do now: I remember that he wanted free and equal education for all, but since we learned about him in middle school, I don’t remember much else.”

“I think Horace Mann should be taught here because it’s important that we know what we aim to be as a community and what our place is in society,” Erin Jaen (12) said. “Also, Mann is kind of an inspirational person from what I’ve learned.”

“While learning about Horace Mann is an important part of our school’s history, there’s no connection between Horace Mann the man and our school itself, other than the fact that the school is named after him for a reason unknown to most of us,” Zachary Kurtz (9) said.

Peter Wang (9) noted the quote displayed below Mann’s portrait in Olshan Lobby: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”

“The school tries to get its students to be excellent, so I think that reflects Mann’s quote. But I do think it was kind of harsh phrasing,” Wang said.

“It’s like we’re being prepared to do things at HM; we’re supposed to go out into the world and do great things, and so I guess the word choice is a bit drastic but I think it makes sense,” Abigail Morse (11) said.

“I think this quote applies to the idea that Horace Mann School hopes to provide an exceptional education to its students, so that we can go out into the world and make it better for everybody,” Jaen said. “Basically, we have been given this great opportunity to learn and think deeply about the problems the world faces - now, we have a chance to use it.”

Certain members of the community find hypocrisy in a private school being named after a promoter of public education.

“While I do agree that Horace Mann stood for higher education standards and we go to a school that does that, we don’t do it in the way that he intended,” Dylan Chin (12) said. “We go to a very elite private school that does not support education for all, just a cherry-picked few.”

According to Helena Yang (11), while the school does conform to some of Mann’s ideas, it still comes across as strange that the school is named after someone who was such a strong supporter of public education. “It’s a little weird, but you kind of

have to consider that HM got the name over 100 years ago, and the education system was way different back then.”

Mitchell Yu (11) said that while the school does a good job of upholding many of Mann’s values, it is still very far from the public school system that Mann worked to create. “Being named after Mann is a good reminder that we’re not always in this bubble,” Yu said. “We get protected from struggles, but then we don’t learn or understand just how different the world outside the bubble is. Mann’s legacy reminds us that his ideal of education was for everyone. At HM, it is not for everyone.”

“I think his name is really just the name of the school, and I don’t really associate the school with the person at all,” Spencer Kahn (12) said. “But I think a lot of his moral compass about why people should be educated is still echoed by the school today.”

Archivist Hillary Matlin said that while there have been times throughout the school’s history when they were focused on educating only the elite, “when you look at where the school originated from, which was really about giving the best education, and fitting the most people for healthy, productive, progressive sort of lives, you can understand why we took Horace Mann as an ideal,” she said.

“I feel like it’s kind of inconsiderate of Horace Mann’s legacy that we, a private school, use his name because it sort of goes against the idea that good education should be accessible for all, regardless of social class,” Jaen said. “I think Horace Mann is not a complete reflection of Mann’s values, but it tries its best to cope with the fact that we are not a public school and it’s not possible for us to be accessible for all by encouraging us to use what we have learned here to give back to the community.”

“There’s no chance we’re going to change the name of our school, but developing it into a more inclusive system that isn’t as elite or restricted would be awesome,” Chin said. “But I don’t think this change is possible, especially in the direction they’re going with increasing tuition every year.”

For many, the school’s high tuition is a major factor that contradicts the values of Mann. “The fact that we are an independent school means that we are able to determine our own curriculum and programs and also determine who is admitted to and enrolled in the school, which is a significant difference from the majority of public schools,” Director of Institutional Research & Enrollment Management Lisa Moreira said “But being an independent school also means that we are primarily funded not by the city or state, but by tuition revenue.”

“Being a school with tuition gives us more resources than many other schools, so I think it’s had an enormously positive

Charles Tillinghast Adam Frommer and Emily Shi Staff Writers

At the Testimonial Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria honoring Dr. Charles C. Tillinghast’s career as Headmaster of the school, the evening program began with words from William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” to describe Tillinghast’s character: “His life was gentle, and the elements / So mix’d in him that Nature might stand up / And say to all the world, ‘This was a man.’”

Now, students and faculty walk around Tillinghast Hall every day of the school week, passing the life-sized portrait of Tillinghast in front of the main staircase on the first floor. Referencing the building, students say Tillinghast’s name almost daily, yet most people have no idea who he was.

“It is important for kids to know the history of their school,” Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels said. Coming into the Upper School after the sexual abuse scandal, most students are only familiar with that portion of the school’s past.

“There is all of this really great history that exists out there that gets overshadowed by that chunk of 30 years.”

Amory Tillinghast-Raby ‘17, a direct descendent of Tillinghast, knows little about Tillinghast’s life, he wrote in an email.

Other than when students asked him if the two were related, Tillinghast had no tangible impact on Tillinghast-Raby during his time at the school. “That does not mean his contributions to the school were insignificant or not worthy of study,” he wrote.

“I am simply no more qualified than any other HM graduate to comment on his contemporary relevance.”

Dr. Charles C. Tillinghast was a man whose warmth and sincerity made people feel like they belonged in the school community, according to an editorial in Volume XLIII Issue 13 of The Record following Tilinghast’s retirement. By the time he left after the 63rd anniversary of the school, his 30-year tenure as Headmaster had accounted for nearly half of the school’s history. “The school, with his help, has advanced to the foreground among educational institutions all over the nation. The story of HM is his story, and he can justly be proud of the success it has achieved,” the editorial stated.

Tillinghast was born in Rhode Island; he graduated from Brown University in 1906 and later received his Masters of Arts (MA) from Columbia University. Before becoming Headmaster of the school in 1920, Tillinghast had already been a principal at two other day schools. He retired from the school in 1950 due to health reasons and died in 1962 at age 77.

Under Tillinghast’s leadership, the school’s facilities changed, the curriculum expanded, and publications as well as extracurricular activities flourished, according to the book “The First Hundred Years” by English teacher Harry Bauld and co-author Jerome Kissinger. Tillinghast’s term “put the school on the academic map,” it said. His leadership was a “time of maturation which saw a solidifying of both the program and the community of faculty, parents, and alumni.”

Tillinghast was a personal figure to both students and faculty as well. According to “The First Hundred Years,” he would create flashcards of every student’s name and face in the school and know their names by the second week of classes. From 1920 to 1947, while Tillinghast was headmaster, faculty members worked at the school for an average duration of 17 years.

For the school’s 75th anniversary in 1962, alumni gave a scroll in memory of Tillinghast’s tenure at the school, thanking him for not only preserving the school but also for increasing its prestige under his leadership. The scroll noted that his wit, humanity, understanding, high principles, and eloquence shaped not only the school but also generations of students who passed through.

In terms of education, Tillinghast’s conservative views led to the school’s rise in rank amongst other independent day schools, “The First Hundred Years” wrote. Tillinghast emphasized classics, the science program, and discipline instead of the new “child-centered” progressive approach of nearby schools which focused more on the students’ experience, critical thinking, and experimentation rather than simply learning facts. Tillinghast be-

impact on the day to day lives of our students,” Head of the Upper School Jessica Levenstein said. “But the other side of tuition is the stress that comes with families needing to provide that tuition, and I don’t want to underestimate that stress.”

According to the school’s website, in 1887, a full year’s tuition for a high school senior at the school was only $150, which is equivalent to around $3,700 today. Although this price difference may seem drastic to today’s real cost of tuition, the costs of facilities have also increased with time, accounting for major portions of the tuition cost. Butler himself had worked in both private and public sectors and “saw no great division between public and private education,” wrote “The First Hundred Years.”

“Comparing Horace Mann School today to Horace Mann School in 1887 is not an apples-to-apples comparison,” Kelly wrote in an email. “However, I can say that today’s tuition is in line with what other like schools charge, and what HM charges includes the maintenance of facilities well beyond what other schools offer.”

Although the tuition of the school is increasingly expensive, the administration is working hard to increase the diversity within the student body, primarily by providing increased amounts of financial aid to encourage students from lower income families and backgrounds to apply, Moreira said.

The school’s financial aid budget - and its commitment to providing need-based financial aid - makes it possible for many students to attend the school, in particular those who would not otherwise be able to do so, Moreira said. “If you’re asking if the fact that we charge tuition keeps some families from exploring the school as an option, that may well be the case,” Moreira said.

“But we actively encourage families from all backgrounds to consider the school and to apply, and we do provide a significant amount of need-based financial aid to families whose children are admitted and who qualify for Aid.” “A lot of the emphasis on education and how education can hold a great impact and what Horace Mann was fighting for is seen in this community,” Bender said.

“Notwithstanding the fact that we operate a tuition-based program, I think Horace Mann would be impressed with and excited by the teaching and learning that takes place within our walls,” Kelly wrote. “In so many ways, we do represent his vision of what an education should be.”

Th Lega behind th Histor Profi

lieved t h a t progressive education styles simply extended kindergarten to higher grade levels.

Tillinghast ran the school with simple and few rules, “The First Hundred Years” said. While he was Headmaster, fewer than five boys were asked to leave the school. Each year at the opening assembly, Tillinghast would say “A Horace Mann boy is a young gentleman.” Tillinghast looked beyond the actions of students and take into account students’ personal circumstances when deciding how to handle rule breaking.

Tillinghast expanded the language programs by offering more languages, such as Spanish, and created new courses in both music and science, Bauld wrote. In addition, Tillinghast was praised throughout the school for being able to substitute a teacher and cover any class, be it German, history, physics, or English.

In the Mannikin published in the year of his retirement, Tillinghast wrote a short autobiography of his life that offered advice to graduating seniors. “The abiding things in life are not such as can be purchased with material goods,” he wrote.

“Self-respect, social consciousness, friendship, and determination to carry one’s share of the burden of life are much more worthwhile than money.”

That same year, the senior class dedicated the yearbook to him. “We may only wish that during our lives we may accomplish so much for the benefit of so many,” the Mannikin said, referring to the legacy of Tillinghast.

Following his death, Volume LV Issue 25 of The Record published another editorial about his life at the school. “Dr. Tillinghast ...formed and molded the character of an entire generation of students, in the process creating a great school, and influencing the students who came and will come to Horace Mann after he left more perhaps than they shall ever know,” the article wrote.

5

HORACE MANN FEATURES OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Virgil Prettyman Adam Frommer and Emily Shi Staff Writers In a fitting dedication, Prettyman Hall, the school’s athletic complex, received its name from Headmaster Virgil Prettyman who led from1894 to 1920, and had an intense interest in athletics as well as academics.

Prettyman arrived as a young instructor in the year of the school’s move to 120th Street, when the school was still associated with the Teachers College. He soon became principal at the age of 20 after only one year of teaching.

To appear older than he was and to “increase his dignity,” Prettyman resorted to growing a moustache and goatee during his first years as principal, Prettyman’s son Lambert Prettyman Sr. said in an audio recording from the gymnasium dedication in 1955, speaking on behalf of his father.

Virgil Prettyman played a central role in creating what are now the school’s core values, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote in an email. Prettyman is also credited for many of the traditions that lived on for decades after his retirement.

According to the “First Hundred Years,” a book by English teacher Harry Bauld and Jerome Kissinger who reflect on the first 100 years of the school, Virgil Prettyman taught Classical Languages, due to his firm belief that students needed to learn Greek and Latin. Moreover, he coached football on a stony playing field on 120th street because of his belief that students needed exercise and fresh air.

Virgil Prettyman led the school with three main principles, Lambert Prettyman Sr. said. First, he wanted to establish a boys’ school with top-notch facilities. Second, he hoped to get away from the dependence of another institution like the Teachers’ College at Columbia University. Thirdly, he wanted to “get away from crying females. He was very uncomfortable when girls would come into his office and cry on his shoulder because they were having difficulties in their studies,” Lambert Prettyman Sr. said.

he acy he name: rical files Adam Frommer and Emily Shi Staff Writers

In 1954, during a campaign to raise $450,000 for the construction of Pforzheimer Hall, Head of the Board of Trustees Carl H. Pforzheimer had already pledged to donate $25,000 before giving a speech that called upon collective effort from the community to fund the building. The school, he said, could no longer rely on the support of a few old friends, whose wealth was gradually thinning. Volume XLVIII Issue 9 of The Record stated that it was the parents’ duty to help, and Pforzheimer promised he would personally donate an extra $20,000 if the goal was met, the article wrote.

Pforzheimer was one of the school’s greatest benefactors, who over the course of 40 years donated a previous library, a swimming pool, and served as Chairman of The Board of Trustees from 1931 to 1956. Pforzheimer Hall was dedicated to the man himself for his service to the school.

Pforzheimer was also honored with a scroll for his support and an honorary Maroon Key at an assembly in 1957 announcing the dedication.

Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels believes it “helps to know your history to be able to talk about things that other people don’t think of other than just a pressure cooker.

[The school] has been a place of philanthropy.”

“We have much to thank and celebrate today because of the Pforzheimer’s legacy,” Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote in an email. “In so many entrepreneurial and awe inspiring ways, this particular family worked diligently to set in motion so much of

“The fact that there were people who were once in a position of power at the school who would strongly oppose to me being there is sad to think about,” Jordan Ferdman (11) said.

Liliana Greyf (10) doesn’t believe that it is productive to even discuss the historical sexism at the school when issues of creating a co-ed school don’t apply to students. “Having more

conversations about what the sexist leaders of the school once did doesn’t bring up anything except what we have moved on from.”

However, Mekhala Mantravadi (10) said that she believes in the importance of discussing parts of the school’s history that may be uncomfortable. “You have to confront yourself with uncomfortable things to know what they are truly about. You can’t listen to things you only want to hear.”

From Archivist Hillary Matlin’s experience studying how people, governments, and organizations cope with less admirable points in history, the most productive way forward is to acknowledge previous shortcomings, she wrote in an email.

Nonetheless, in the years leading up to the creation of a new boys school, Prettyman argued to keep separate schools for boys and girls during weekly meetings. In 1909, he built a thirteen-acre site above Van Cortlandt Park after being given real estate knowledge and a direction to move there from a passerby, Bauld wrote. Eventually, Volume XXX Issue 1 of The Record celebrated how the school “flourished” once “Horace Mann School for Boys” officially opened in 1914 with Virgil Prettyman as Headmaster.

Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels said that reflecting upon moments such as these are important to “put Horace Mann in context to whatever [was] going on in New York” and to contextualize the founding of the school in terms

of the entire city.

As stated in “The First Hundred Years,” after the founding of the boys’ school, Prettyman worked with the headmasters of Gilman Country Day School and Nichols School to form a “Country Day School movement” in 1912. Their union acted as the basis for traditional academic training and discipline. “It is because of Mr. Prettyman’s decision to champion the Country Day School movement and the construction of a campus with state of the art facilities that we have our robust athletic and co-curricular programs,” Kelly wrote.

“Everything we do historically does even inadvertently influence how we end up where we are,” Matlin said. “It is important to know where you came from so you can see the choices we made to get to where we are.”

As headmaster, Virgil Prettyman placed emphasis on sports and study, dividing the student body into two teams: “Athenians” and “Corinthians,” the First Hundred Years said. According to Volume XVI of the Teachers College Record, which discussed the Horace Mann School for The Boys, each boy at the school became either an Athenian or Corinthian for the duration of their high school experience; the division served as a keen and friendly rivalry for athletic and other types of competitions.

In addition, Prettyman called each grade a “form” and teachers “masters.” In terms of athletics, Virgil Prettyman mandated one hour of outdoor exercise a day.

Virgil Prettyman was a leader for the school who had great integrity of character, incredible devotion to trusting others, and loyalty to his co-workers, wrote Volume XXI of The Teachers College Record in 1920 after his resignation announcement from the Headmaster position.

Accounts of Virgil Prettyman’s personality differ among alumni. In “The First Hundred Years,” it mentioned that some believed his desire to separate the school based on gender stemmed from his ineffectiveness at disciplining girls, while others believed he held a strong command. Malcolm Spence, member of the class of 1918, who taught at the school in the 1920s, said that “with him, you didn’t mess around. The rules were the rules.”

Despite differing accounts regarding his discipline, Virgil Prettyman was known affectionately as “Prit” by students and faculty alike, and spoke on values and had the boys sing hymns at chapel every day, Bauld wrote.

Virgil Prettyman left the school in 1920 to move onto business, and said to the New York Evening Sun that he felt “pessimistic about the future of education.” He did not “believe America [would] realize the desperate situation of the schools in time to prevent the wrecking of the entire system,” his obituary in the New York Times stated. New progressive norms at the Teachers College and other administrations challenged Prettyman’s conservative approach to education.

On February 5th, 1955, Carl H. Pforzheimer honored Prettyman by naming and dedicating Prettyman Gymnasium after him.

Today, the Prettyman family is quite proud of their lasting involvement with the school, Kelly wrote. “Not a year goes by that we don’t hear from one of his relatives.”

Carl Pforzheimer

what has been possible.”

For Hillary Matlin, school Archivist, looking at the history of the school gives students a broad perspective. “What can I take from that history to inspire me to move forward?,” she said.

“What can I take from it to help me make decisions in my life?”

Born in New York, Pforzheimer attended City College and became a clerk on Wall Street, earning $4 a week, a 1957 article in the New York Times wrote in his memory. At the age of 23, he started his own company, Carl H. Pforzheimer and Co., trading oil-company shares at a time when petroleum was not popular on Wall Street. Pforzheimer was an original member of what is now the American Stock Exchange.

At the school, Pforzheimer was treasurer of the Endowment Fund, and his management was so effective that the fund yielded a maximum return even during the Great Depression, a 1936 Record article indicated.

Pforzheimer was best known for his collection of rare books.

He expressed his love for literature to the school by donating a library with his wife in 1936 to house over 7,000 volumes, Volume XXX Issue 1 of The Record wrote. In addition, Pforzheimer served on the Board of the New York Public Library, where his foundation donated the “Shelley and His Circle” collection, works by Percy Bysshe Shelley and his contemporaries in 1986.

The collection included works by Shelley’s second wife, Mary Wollstonecraft as well, the New York Public Library website said.

Pforzheimer owned the first Bible printed in the United States as well as rare editions of Shakespeare and Dickens.

At Pforzheimer’s memorial service, rabbi of Temple Ema-

nu-El Dr. Nathan Perilman, Pforzheimer’s rabbi, honored Pforzheimer’s love of his work, great interest in books, involvement in the affairs of the school, and life as a family man, a 1957 article in Volume L, Issue 25 of The Record wrote. “While many men of great material wealth tend to forsake their family life, Mr. Pforzheimer never forgot his obligations to his family. He was a loving father and grandfather,” Perilman said in the eulogy. In regards to the school, “He viewed the students not only as a group, but also, somehow, as individuals.”

6

THE RECORD NEWS OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Assembly educates students about abuse prevention

Yesh Nikam Staff Writer

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) will be presenting a workshop on child sexual abuse prevention for the seventh straight year in the Recital Hall this Friday.

The NYSPCC’s goal is to respond to the needs of abused and neglected children by providing counseling, legal, and educational services, according to its website. The workshop aims to increase students’ knowledge of child sexual abuse and give them information and tools to keep them safe, an outline given to the school from the NYSPCC said.

This year, the workshop will review the dynamics of child sexual abuse by focusing on grooming, which is when perpetrators of sexual assault gain the trust of their potential victims and keep these interactions secret, NYSPCC Director of the Training Institute Annie Costello said. They will also cover the topic of consent as it relates to both child sexual abuse and peer relationships.

The workshop is mandatory for ninth graders, but new students or students who were absent for the workshop in their ninth grade year must also participate, Upper Division Dean of Students Michael Dalo said.

Amelia Resnick (9), who will attend the presentation this week, thinks it is beneficial for students

to be informed about sexual assault. “We should be The presentation has naturally evolved over aware of it and be knowledgeable on it in case we the years through the incorporation of feedback are in a situation like that,” she said. or taking into account current events such as the The school first invited the NYSPCC in 2012, #MeToo movement in order to best meet the needs after news that teachers had abused students at of students. These real-life examples are then used the school years ago was released, Upper Divi- to reinforce safety concepts taught throughout the sion Director of Counseling & Guidance workshops, Costello said.

Dr. Daniel Rothstein ’77 said. “The Through lecture, video, school decided to take steps to and group discussion, help ensure it would not hapstudents learn how to pen again. One of these protect themselves steps is education. The from sexual abuse, more students know the outline statabout sexual abuse, ed. the more they know Kush Malwhat warning signs hotra (11), who to look for in interacparticipated tions with adults, and in the event in what to do to protect 2017, felt that themselves, as well as the overall prehow to help a friend,” sentation was efhe said. “Unfortunately fective in teaching sexual abuse between adults students ways to preand minors continues to occur vent sexual assault. “The frequently in the U.S. and throughuse of videos were especialAnnabelle Chan/Art Director out the world. News reporting and eduly helpful in facilitating discuscation are important steps to raise awareness and sion and conveying important information about a encourage people to report it.” touchy subject,” he said.

However, Alexis Fry (11), who also attended the event in 2017, took issue with the NYSPCC’s inclusion of a video that likened sexual consent to tea in a slightly comedic manner. The video will still be included in this year’s presentation.“Rather than presenting sexual assault as a serious matter, it made it seem like a joke. I do think that that kind of content is okay for educating younger children, but certainly is inappropriate for educating high schoolers about sexual assault, which happens more than is realized during high school,” she said.

Regardless, Fry felt that the presentation is one of many ways the school continues to address its history of sexual assault. “As a student, I always know that I can walk into counseling and guidance and that my teachers will be understanding no matter what,” she said.

Damian Stellings (10) believes that this workshop is one example of the many things the school does to educate students about child abuse as these assemblies show the importance of these issues and help raise awareness for them, he said.

“Although these are difficult topics to think about and discuss, I think talking about it, having accurate information, and learning ways to protect oneself and others makes people feel safer in our community,” Rothstein said.

Creating conversation, one scene at a time

Adrian Arnaboldi Staff Writer

The new Multicultural Center (MC) hosted a screening of “A Jihad for Love” and a discussion afterwards led by the Interfaith Network last Friday regarding persecution of homosexuals in Islamic countries. The event was the first hosted by the MC, a space that will continue to hold similar discussions about issues surrounding social justice, diversity, identity, and religion.

“The Interfaith Network brings together people of different faiths to have dialogue sessions and conferences, among other events,” Co-president Roey Nornberg (12) said. The club has been working with Seeds of Peace, a notable nonprofit organization that works to foster peace building and empathy.

Jacob Shapiro/Photo Editor

UNTIL NEXT TIME Multicultural Center lies in wait.

The club has also formed a partnership with Al-Noor, an Islamic school in Brooklyn, Co-president Diana Shaari (12) said. Members of the Interfaith Network have had dialogue sessions with Al-Noor students and have visited some classes at their school.

“The movie focused on the lives of gay Muslims and how they reconcile their religion with their sexuality,” Nornberg said.

A few notable moments in the film resonated with some of the audience members. Stella Shah (10) was struck by the relationships between child and parent. “Almost every single character called their mom at some point during the movie,” Shah said. “It was really powerful because regardless of everything that was happening in their lives, family came first.” Shah is already looking forward to attending future events in the Multicultural Center.

Multiple moments in the film led Yana Gitelman (11) to reflect on the treatment and persecution members of the LGBTQ+ community face, she said. “In one scene, a Muslim scholar told a gay man that he should either pray to god to make him straight or see a psychologist.”

This scene prompted Gitelman to think about the treatment of homosexuals in America and how homosexuality was considered a psychiatric disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a standard used by the American Psychiatric Association, until the late 20th century, she said.

The Multicultural Center gave the Interfaith Network an opportunity to share part of what their club does with all interested students. Aside from a couple of dialogue workshops and school visits, the work of the Interfaith Network goes largely unnoticed

Annabelle Chan/Art Director

by the community, Shaari said.

“We wanted to promote a movie screening in the Multicultural Center because we thought it would be a good way to increase appreciation for the cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity of HM students,” Nornberg said. Nornberg called the Multicultural Center a “great new resource.

After receiving positive reviews from attendees of their first movie screening, the Interfaith Network aspires to have monthly screenings in the Multicultural Center, Shaari said.

Dean of Students Micheal Dalo hopes that the Multicultural Center will continue to spur conversations about social justice, diversity, and identity among students, faculty, and administrators, he said.

Bestselling psychologist explains book

Emma Colacino Staff Writer

Michael Thompson, PhD, the bestselling author of Raising Cain and consulting school psychologist, spoke to parents on Tuesday in the Recital Hall. Thompson also spoke earlier that day at a luncheon attended by parents at the Maloney and Porcelli Restaurant in Manhattan.

These talks were part of the Parent’s Institute Lecture series, which is a series of talks that are held off campus for parents regarding parenting Courtesy of Emma Colacino

SPEAKING OF BOYS Thompson talks to parents.

topics. Both of these talks were the kickoff event to the 2019-2020 lecture series.

The luncheon discussed pressures that students face, while the Recital Hall meeting discussed eight things parents cannot do for their children, but wish they could.

Thompson has been working with the school in different areas for over 15 years. Specifically, x has trained mentors at the middle school and at the Dorr campus, as well as spoken to Middle Division students on different occasions.

He has visited and worked with over 700 schools throughout the world. He is currently a consulting psychologist for the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Massachusetts.

During his recital hall meeting, Thompson focused on the topic of childhood independence.

“The point of my talk tonight is this, you can’t make your child independent. Your child needs to become independent. That is the whole point of parenting,” he said.

Thompson also recalled the importance of experiencing this independence in his own childhood. “I went to fancy private schools in New York, and the single most important experience of my life was having a summer job,” he said.

He also suggested that parents turn to educators for help in managing parenting issues. “Teachers are very good at knowing what is developmentally

appropriate and what is totally weird.”

Before the lecture, parents expressed hopes to gain information that could help them support their children. “I’m always looking for new tips and tricks, so that’s what I’m hoping to get,” Eram Syed P’9, P’11 said Parents also hoped to learn more from someone with a broader knowledge on the subject. “I have a sample set of two; someone who does this for a living has a sample set of a hundred, so I hope to benefit from that,” Michael Lipsky P’22 P’27 said.

The purpose of the lecture was to give parents insight into the knowledge of leaders in the field of childhood education and psychology, Heater Erhard P’6 said.

The structure of the lecture was based around eight central concepts parents cannot do for their children. The eight ideas were: We cannot make our children happy; we cannot give our children high self-esteem; we cannot make friends for them or micromanage their friendships; we cannot successfully double as our child’s agent; manager and coach; we cannot create the ‘second family’ for which our child years in order to facilitate his or her own growth; it is increasingly apparent that we parents cannot compete with or limit our child’s electronic connections; we cannot keep out children perfectly safe but we can drive them crazy trying; we cannot make our children independent.

Annabelle Chan/Art Director

The structure of the lecture was helpful in relaying the information of the presentation. “[The eight ideas] were very tangible and can be thought about with specific examples that he gave and also that you can relate to your own situations as a parent at home,” Erhard said. “It exceeded my expectations.”

7

HORACE MANN LIONS’ DEN OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Boys varsity soccer looks to the future after tough season Yotam Hahn and John Mauro Staff Writers

After the ups and downs of a long season, the Boys Varsity Soccer team hopes to learn from their mistakes and build upon their accomplishments, co-Captain Chris Ha (12) said.

The team has a league record of 1-13 and sit at the bottom of the Ivy League standings.

The Lions struggled with internal challenges, such as challenges out of their control and the high level of play of other teams and injured teammates, Ha (12) said.

The team struggles to start games off strong as a result of a lack of mental preparation, Ha said.

One of the team’s greatest strengths is their ability to bounce back after a rough start, Ha said. However, this often resulted in close losses because there was not enough time remaining to make a full comeback.

After a close 2-1 homecoming defeat versus Fieldston, Gab the best team in the

by F isch berg league, it became /Ar t Di clear to the team rect or that they are capable of competing with the best teams in the league when their spirits are high, midfielder Alex Gerstenhaber (11) said.

The team has strong depth this season, Gerstenhaber said. “We had a lot of strong players that could sub in for a tired starter and keep the game competitive.”

The team’s first league game was a 6-1 loss against Trinity.

“Losing our first league game to Trinity was our lowest moment,” goalkeeper Devin Hirsch (11) said. “We had tied against Edgemont and beat Loyola, and losing to a team on our own turf was rough.” The loss, however, was motivation to get back up and play harder for the rest of the season, Hirsch said.

The team implemented strategies and formations in their gameplay to bolster their playing potential. The team initially tried several formations and kept changing them until they found a successful one, co-Captain Daniel Lee (12) said.

“Through trial and error, we found a position

Manager Taussia Boadi (12) agrees that communication has been another quality of the team that has improved over the season, she said. “Initially, the team wouldn’t talk on the field, but now when the boys are dribbling up the field, they make sure to talk and let each other know who’s open.”

At the start of the season, the team had trouble getting possession of the ball, but as a team they really stepped up and did their best, especially in the close games against Fieldston and Riverdale, Boadi said.

Defensively, Armaan Kakodkar (11) holds

Alill Walsh/Staff Photographer

READY UP! Alex Gerstenhaber (11) gets ready to swing in the corner kick. where we could both score and defend well.”

“At the beginning of the season, the team just would just kick the ball up to Jeffrey and hope for the best,” Hirsch said. “But now, we’re more of a team, going up and down the field together and communicating more.”

a solid position at center back and the team’s starting goalie Jake Federman (11) has improved immensely with a save percentage above 50%, Lee said.

Kri Galvin-Dubois (10) has been integral to the team all season long, Gerstenhaber said.

“He is a very good ball-winner in the midfield and supports the defense, but is also excellent at bringing the ball up the field and passing to the more attacking players such as Jeffrey Chen or myself.”

After many seniors graduated last year, the team took on a number of underclassmen, Lee said. “The team had many new players who I had never played with before, but that never stopped us from getting close.”

“It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to the team,” Noah Phillips (12) said. “The coaches were the first people I had met at the school when I came in ninth grade. But I’m excited to move on and stay in touch and see what happens next.”

“I’m proud of the way they played together and how they improved their team play,” Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach Neil Berniker said. “The camaraderie between them matured throughout the season. They have improved both soccer wise and as individuals.”

Next year, the team will have a plethora of sophomores and juniors ready to fill the leadership void left by the seniors, Hirsch said. “We’ll be sad to see our six seniors go, but many juniors, including myself, are definitely ready to take up leadership on the team.”

The team will have an experienced, talented squad with many members already having a year of Varsity experience, Berniker said.

Berniker was proud of the energy that the team brought to every game, he said. “The winloss record isn’t the only degree of success we go by.”

“Most of all, the team was resilient and regardless of our record that is something to be proud of,” Ha said.

“I don’t think it’s about wins and losses,” Phillips said. “I hope my last game ends with me being with my family and friends who I’ve known for my whole HM career.”

Sideline MVPs: a manager’s impact Julia Goldberg and Lauren Kim Staff Writers

Gabby FIschberg/Art Director

Though the athletes working tirelessly on the playing field are the undisputed stars, behind the scenes, managers help guide their teams to success.

The manager position begins with an inschool contract as well as meetings with the coach and the potential manager, in which they discuss the expectations for the job, Director of Athletics Robert Anunnziata said.

The job can be dated back to the 1906 Mannikin, which is the oldest one in the archives, Archivist Hillary Matlin said. Back then, the main responsibility of managers was to set the team’s schedule each season, she said.

“But though my bus-broken back may not wish to remember the pain and boredom of that time, if I’m being honest, something else in the cluttered rooms of my memory will remind me of how much I enjoyed those days, the locker room pranks, the tension of final seconds and the friendship within the team,” wrote Kenneth Pollack ‘84, the manager of the basketball team, in a 1984 issue of The Record.

Ultimately, no matter what year, managers are present to serve the team, Anunnziata said.

“I think energy, spirit, loyalty, and a dedication to the work all are expected of them.”

A manager is in many ways more of a coach than a player because they are able to watch the game from a bird’s eye view Varsity Water Polo player Walker McCarthy (10) said. “We’re grateful for the perspective they can provide,” he said.

This year, Lauren Ho (10) is a new manager for the Varsity Water Polo team. Though it’s Ho’s first year as a manager, she’s been incredibly active, McCarthy said.

Ho’s most impactful change has been transforming the typically hand-written statistics sheet which contains a record of goals, steals, assists, blocks for the goalies, kickouts, and swim-offs into a Google Sheets form, he said.

Because of the change, the entire team is now able to see how players are doing both as a collective unit and individually. “For example, we have many goals, but the majority are not from assists, which shows that we need to set up and run more real plays,” McCarthy said.

To show their appreciation for Ho, the team is purchasing her a sweatshirt with ‘Manager of the Year 2019’ inscribed on the back. Jessica Thomas (12) is another first year manager, who decided to manage because she wanted to explore new opportunities as a senior Laure n Kim

/Con tribu ting A rtist

with her friends. She chose Boys Varsity Soccer specifically to support her friends on the team. “I love every single part of it,” Thomas said. “It’s a great release from the stressful life of being a senior.”

Thomas manages along with Taussia Boadi (12) and Avani Khorana (9). Through managing, Thomas has learned how critical mindset is to performance. “I’ve seen that when you go into a game thinking you’ll lose; it’ll affect how you play,” she said. “I’ve learned [that] going into things having a positive attitude really makes a difference.”

Boadi sees her role as a manager as in between a coach and an athlete, she said. “The coaches make sure they’re playing well, but we have to make sure the players are actually okay.”

Working alongside with Thomas, Boadi

tries to support the team as best she can with her spirit, Boadi said. “We cheer a lot, especially when they miss a goal, to try to make sure that we’re there for them.”

Anthony White (11), who manages Girls’ Junior Varsity Volleyball along with Mitchell Yu (11) and Ryan Rosenthal (11), supports the team by passing on lessons he’s learned about the sport, he said. Though different techniques are emphasized in girls and boys volleyball, due to the difference in the position of the players on the court, blocking, setting, spiking, and bumping are essential for both, he said.

Though White assists with drills during practices and referees during their games, he also works with members of the team during their free periods. “There are some people who have that drive to get better and want more practice, and I’m happy to work with them if they want,” he said.

However, not all teams enjoy the extra help a manager can provide. Remy Wu (12) and Joelle Maddan (10) are members of the Varsity Football and Cross Country teams, respectively, two teams without managers.

According to Coach Ron Beller, football doesn’t have managers because the tasks which would be assigned to a manager are fulfilled by the freshmen. “All of them come to every varsity game whether home or away and help our team out in any way they can,” he said. “It’s special to see such an invested class.”

However, both Wu and Maddan said that managers could benefit both of their teams. “A manager would be helpful to just be there for us and to act as some sort of external support on the sidelines,” Wu said.

Boadi has learned more about what it means to be a team player through her experience as a manager, in which she’s done her best to instill hope in players throughout their games, she said.

Lions’ Den Record Sports

OCTOBER 25TH, 2019

Cross country lions dash into Ivy League championships

Claire Goldberg and Bradley Bennett Staff Writer & Contributing Writer

The Girls’ Cross Country Team aims for a strong finish to the season at the Ivy League Championship Meet this Friday. Due to their recent successes, the team is hopeful for great results at the race.

“This team is a combination of running, bonding and being there for each other,” Head Coach Meredith Cullen said. “Everyone on the team has shown her strength on the course and off.”

Last week, the team competed in the Manhattan College Invitational meet and achieved great success.

Catherine Mignone (10) finished in the top 70 out of over 230 runners.

“We were well-rested for the race, and there were a lot of people running so there was good competition no matter what speed y o u

ran at,” Mignone said. “There were people running at every speed so it motivated everyone on our team to run faster.”

This week, the team is training for the Ivy League Championship meet this Friday in Van Cortlandt Park, which is the final league meet of the year.

“This is the championship meet and we’ve been building up to it the whole season,” Mignone said.

“The other meets have been developmental, but now we’re really trying to get our best times.”

Over the course of the season, the team has improved not only their stamina and technique, but also their racing mindset, Mignone said.

“My times have improved over the course of the season, and I’ve cut a minute off of my time in the varsity 4K race,” Claire Goldberg (10) said.

“Doing well in a cross country meet isn’t just about strength, it’s also about having a positive mindset and being excited to race,” Mignone said.

The team has enjoyed both successes on the track and team bonding experiences throughout the season.

When the team is not racing, the cohesive and relaxed dynamic “makes me look forward to every practice,” Mignone said.

“The team vibe is great this year, and practice is always the highlight of my day,”

GIRLS

The Boys’ Cross Country team is in the final sprint of its season. The boys hope to secure a win at Ivy Preparatory Championships this Friday in Van Cortlandt Park. The team has had a strong season with lots of personal bests, especially over the course of the past few races, according to Co-Captain Masa Shiiki (12).

On homecoming, the boys competed in the Manhattan Invitational, one of the biggest meets of the season. “A lot of coaches from across the nation came to scout runners at Manhattan, so the pressure was definitely high,” Shiiki said. Shiiki is a competitive varsity runner, but he is not looking to be recruited. Luckily, the meet was a success, and the top five varsity runners medalled, he said.

Ethan Waggoner (10) ran his personal best at this meet, completing the 2.5 mile course in only 14 minutes and 17 seconds. Waggoner holds the current record for the team this season. Co-Captain Eddie Jin (12) finished the race in 14:33, followed by Douglas Richardson (10) at 14:40 and Shiiki at 14:40. The Varsity Seven as a whole placed very well, Shiiki said. The Varsity Seven are the runners with the seven fastest times.

The team was able to place well for a number of reasons, Shiiki said. “We were all ready for the race from practicing hard, and we also got a good warm up in. We all worked really hard, and had good execution, and the results followed.”

Looking ahead for Ivies, only the top five varsity runners will be scored and represent the school’s team. The team has been training hard for the past few weeks getting ready to do their best in this meet, Ryan Finlay (10) said.

Everyone must be in their best condition for the race if the team wants to place well, Waggoner said. “Right now, it’s all about maintaining our fitness and getting proper rest. We can’t start to slack off and skip important things like cooldowns and stretching or else it will hurt us in the

race,” Shiiki said.

After a season of hard work, the team has high excitement and expectations for Ivies, Gurvitch said.

“On Friday, I want to put everything I have into the race, even if it means throwing up at the finish,” Finlay said.

Elias Romero (10) is also looking forward to Ivies, he said. “The hard work my teammates and I went put in during training will push me to do my best on Friday,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how the underclassman in our Varsity seven perform in the meet,” Eshoo said. Reflecting on the season, Eshoo feels that the team has grown and improved a lot since last year, he said.

Part of the reason for the team’s growth this year is because of the captains, Simon Schackner (10) said.

Taking on the role of captain is a big responsibility, Shiiki said. “As a captain, my biggest responsibility is being able to balance pushing the team and making sure they’re enjoying participating and having fun,” Shiiki said.

The captains’ devotion has paid off, Waggoner said.

“Having captains that are competitive and encourage the

BOYS

The JV football team is finishing up the season with a record of two wins, one loss, and, most recently, a tie during its game against Greenwich. “[The Greenwich game] was amazing,” Lucas Borini (9) said. “It was their homecoming and the whole school was there booing us, but that only made us love it more.”

“It was one of the most exciting atmospheres we’ve ever been a part of here,” JV Football Coach Ron Beller said. “It was packed with people.

The fans were so loud and close to our sideline you could barely hear yourself think.”

There was a large audience at the game against Greenwich because it was their homecoming. The Lions were unaware that it was a homecoming game until ten minutes before the game started, thinking that it would just be a regular game, Quarterback Matthew Jacobson (9) said.

“For some this made them nervous, but for me I just got more excited,” he said.

The team’s offense started out a little slow, but the defense played very well throughout the entire game, Jacobson said. “Eventually, the offense made it to [Greenwich’s] goal line and we scored.”

At the end of the fourth quarter, the team was tied with Greenwich, and, with one second left on the clock, decided to try for a field goal, thinking that it would give the team a better chance of getting the points they needed to win, Jacobson said.

“You could feel the energy from our sidelines,” Jacobson said.

“We’re all supportive of each other,” Zelizer said.

The team doesn’t only support each other during games. “If someone

Courtesy of Catherine Mignone

GIRLS WHO RUN Girls cross country pose after meet.

Goldberg said. “Running helps me destress after long days of school and I can talk through anything while I’m running with my teammates.”

“The team is very relaxed in the best way possible,” Captain Claire Griffin (12) said, “especially because the juniors and seniors are very stressed out, the supportive team environment is really helpful.”

“All four seniors are also captains, and each of them plays a role in the leadership of the team, some with running and others with school work,” Cullen said.

Additionally, the most successful runners on the team are underclassmen, which creates a rare lack of seniority and hierarchy on the team, she said “All of the upperclassmen get so excited when we see the underclassmen placing well in the meets,” Griffin said. “It’s awesome for them and it’s exciting to see how much potential the team has in the future.”

“It has been a great season and I am very confident that we will do well at Ivy’s on Friday,” Cullen said.

rest of the team to work hard has really helped us have a good season,” Waggoner said. “We’ve developed a new culture of hard work with Eddie and Masa as captains, which will pave the way for our success for many years to come.”

JV football finishes season 2-1-1 Alison Isko Staff Writer

8

were to mess up, [the team] wouldn’t leave them feeling bad, but rather pick them up and tell them they’ll get it next time,” Matthew Marquardt (9) said. “It’s been a really fun experience being able to play with my friends, especially since some of them I played flag football with when I was like eight years old.”

While many people on the team, such as Marquardt, have played football before, there are some people who haven’t. Borini is playing football for the first time this season and he has been encouraged and helped by other members of the team, he said.

“The team is very supportive and makes sure that beginners know what they need to do, and make sure that everyone is getting enough reps in practice,” Borini said.

The Varsity and JV teams practice together.“[During practices] earlier in the season, we would not get as many reps as the Varsity team, but once the coaches realized we were a very talented freshman class, they let us participate in live contact drills,” Jacobson said.

Although the team had some difficulty getting as many reps as the Varsity team during practices at the start of the season, that hasn’t affected the relationship between the Varsity and JV teams, he said.

“You can hardly tell the difference between the Varsity and JV,” Borini said. “We are all one huge family and the Varsity players are great mentors, especially for a newcomer like me.”

Practicing together has led the Varsity and JV teams to “mesh very well,” Jacobson said.

The JV and Varsity teams don’t just overlap during practice. Some sophomores play at both JV and Varsity games in order to gain experience, Varsity Football Head Coach Matthew Russo said.

There are 18 sophomores and freshmen that play at every JV game.

“[It] is a very solid number compared to other schools,” Beller said.

“Riverdale, Fieldston and many local high schools do not have the numbers to field a JV team so we are happy that we actually have a good team on the field.”

Russo is happy with this season’s JV team, he said. “They are dedicated and have approached the games and practice with focus and a high level of work ethic,” he said. “The one thing I would tell the team is to have the same approach in the offseason and throughout their football careers.”

Courtesy of James Thomas

SOPHS Corey Brooks (10), JT Thomas (10), Chandler Reyes (10), and George Harris (10).