Issue 1: 2023-2024

Court Rules on Affirmative Action

Lulu Mangriotis

'25

What is affirmative action? You may have heard about the recent Supreme Court case that sent waves throughout the college community this past June. However, affirmative action remains an ambiguous term for many.

Affirmative action acknowledges previous inequalities and aims to promote racial representation in society today. The concept was first introduced by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 in an Executive Order. While students may be more familiar with affirmative action in regard to college admissions, the Order was originally intended for desegregation in the workplace. The order required business owners to use affirmative action policies to hire people of color, especially Black people.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968 sparked the expansion of affirmative

The Pelican

St. Paul's School

September 22, 2023

Handbook Update: New AI Policy School Breaks Ground for New Admissions Center

Edward Madara

'25

Over the summer, St. Paul’s School broke ground for The Fleischner Family Admissions Center, the new multimillion dollar project opening in early 2025. The Center will serve as a welcome space for families for tours, interviews, and visiting days and include over 3,500 square feet of indoor-outdoor space for the community to gather. The Admissions and Communications departments will also have offices in the Center.

Though beautiful, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Dana Anselmi says the current Sheldon Admissions Building is simply not fit for its intended purpose. “On busy days, the Sheldon Rotunda gets packed, and we do not have enough seating for everyone,” she says. This means families may feel uncomfortable when they first arrive.

Sheldon’s central location can be inconvenient for prospective families. As an ex-

ample, Anselmi describes a prospective student and their family feeling stressed arriving at their interview last year because they could not find the admissions parking lot. “That’s not how we want families to feel when they arrive on our campus,” she says.

Redirecting the flow of admissions to an easily accessible, purpose-built space will improve prospective families' admissions process and return Sheldon to student use.

Giving Sheldon back over to studentcentered space was one of the “main driving forces” behind the gift from the Fleischner family, says Chief Advancement Officer Scott Bohan. In 1990, Sheldon, which used to be the School’s library, was repurposed for administrative use. With the opening of the Fleischner Center, Sheldon will again complete the trifecta of student-use buildings in the core of campus. “We will have Ohrstrom for study, Friedman for fun, and now Sheldon for things like student groups and affinity groups,” says Bohan.

Cora Patridge '24

At St. Paul’s School and worldwide, artificial intelligence tools are a topic of increasing interest in all sectors of society. Just last spring, the cover issue of Time Magazine was a screenshot of a conversation with ChatGPT regarding the AI Arms Race. Less than a few days later, an SPS Disciplinary Committee announcement in Chapel informed the St. Paul’s community about a recent academic integrity violation where a student had used the same tool to write their essay for them. The world is changing.

This summer, members of the administration, namely Director of Studies Sarah Ludwig, Dean of Faculty Lori Bohan, and Dean of Academic Affairs Megan Drinkwater helped author a starting AI policy for SPS. The policy lists several examples of major academic integrity violations involving artificial intelligence, including using AI to give or receive unauthorized assistance, using AI on an assessment, and plagiarizing the ideas of others generated by an AI tool.

But Drinkwater says the work does not end there. She has formed nn AI working group tasked with creating a more comprehensive policy, and students will play an active role in the process. Members will draft a proposal setting regulations that preserve both student privacy and the educational process. “The concern is on the learning,” says Drinkwater. Despite being a valuable tool, she says AI can easily become a “slippery slope.”

Questions remain about how the role of AI will evolve at SPS in the coming years and how students and faculty might adapt to use tools like ChatGPT in a way that adds to the learning experience instead of replacing the valuable creative insights of individually generated work.

Teacher of Classics and Debate Coach David Camden says he recently tested the capabilities of AI tools in creating a debate handbook. As a historian of ancient science, Camden is especially interested in the turning points “when cultures rethink their relationship with collective knowledge,” he says.

This summer, Camden says he asked ChatGPT how it would write a guide to the parliamentary extemporaneous debate forContinued on

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Students get started on the year ahead, photo by Vin Chutijirawong '25

Affirmative Action SCOTUS Ruling

Lulu Mangriotis '25

Continued from Page 1

action to other settings. Soon after his death, Harvard University announced that they would begin to use affirmative action in the admissions process to provide equitable access to education.

Affirmative action exists today to diversify college populations on the basis that learning in a diverse environment is valuable to members of all races, including historically disadvantaged races. Affirmative action policies have been legally upheld many times in the last century. In June, however, the Supreme Court took a different stance. In a 6-3 conservative split, the Court ruled that affirmative action was unconstitutional, specifically targeting race-conscious admissions in higher education.

Opponents of affirmative action say that private universities are discriminating against white and Asian students because admissions teams are filling up spots with students of other races. The group Students for Fair Admissions, who filed a suit against Harvard, argued that Harvard discriminated against Asians and Asian Americans during the admissions process and said that students in those groups had a higher barrier to entry because of a larger racial applicant pool.

During the Supreme Court hearing, Justices in favor of affirmative action focused on the positives for Latinx and Black students, whereas the Justices against affirmative action highlighted the potential harm for white and Asian students. In an opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that college admissions and the United States as a whole shouldn’t

“look past our differing skin colors and identities.”

In her dissent (a report arguing against the ruling), Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education.” She argued that the Constitution made it the United State’s responsibility to create equal opportunities while acknowledging possible historical hindrances that may affect applicants.

It is important to note an important caveat in the Justices’ ruling. The Supreme Court declared that colleges could still consider race in the context of an applicant’s life, which is often expressed in an applicant’s college essays and supplements. Students can still address their race in outlining their experiences in racial communities, with discrimination, or other situations that they felt were affected by their race.

Despite the divide among the Justices, the Court ruled to overturn affirmative action, which has left many students wondering about the potential impact of the case on St. Paul’s students. SPS is a top college preparatory school, so all of its students work hard for college matriculation. Future articles on this topic will feature input from faculty and administrators at St. Paul’s who can explore how this historic ruling might impact both students’ college admissions process and the SPS admissions process for new students.

AI Policy Update

Cora Patridge '24

Continued from Page 1

mat used by the St. Paul’s team. The results, he says, were mixed. “At the moment,” Camden reports, “there is a very clear ceiling for this technology.” He explains that the AI did well at providing an overarching structure, efficient paragraphs and clear lists, but struggled when asked to delve into more complex particulars. However, even with the fine-tuning required, the entire forty-two-page handbook took only three days to complete, a significant decrease from the weeks it would have otherwise occupied.

Instead of considering AI tools as a replacement, the SPS community might look to a future where AI is integrated as a support system to expand student and faculty capabilities. “There is a lot of collective wisdom here at SPS,” notes Camden. “However, much of it goes untapped because we never commit it to writing. I would love to see other community members find ways to share what they know by combining their expertise with the assistance of these generative tools.”

The experiences of the faculty and others show that AI has real potential to enhance our lives, but it cannot think for us. “New technologies have a way of changing how we think about the process of education,” says Camden, “but they never change its goal: to empower students to reflect upon the world in which they live.”

Tips For New Students

Charlotte Machiels '25

Welcome back or welcome to SPS! It can be hard to adjust to life at St. Paul’s after a long summer, so here are some tips to get you started off on the right foot.

First, the best way to make friends across forms is to say hi to someone on the path, no matter who it is. We have definitely all experienced the awkwardness of walking alone while a big group of friends passes on the path, but the reality is, everyone's day is brightened by a smile and a wave.

Secondly, make friends with your Chapel buddies. One of the best parts of the St. Paul’s experience is getting assigned your own Chapel seat. Whether you’re sitting next to one of your best friends or someone you’ve never talked to before, Chapel is a great way to get to know people better and to make new friends.

On a similar note, sing in Chapel. While I completely empathize with those of you who cannot sing (I am completely tone deaf), singing in Chapel is a great way to get engaged in the mornings, and sharing a hymnal is another great way to bond with your Chapel buddies.

Speaking of music: instead of wearing headphones on the walk to class, bring a speaker. Playing music on the paths makes the many walks around campus more enjoyable, and can brighten your mood before and in between classes.

My biggest suggestion is to try new things, especially if you have never done it before. While it can be stressful not to be good at something right away, in the end, you can only benefit from trying a new sport, joining a club, or auditioning for the theater company. Remember that your time at St. Paul’s is limited, and the time to try new things is now. Good luck and happy Fall Term!

Embarrassing Stories From the Early Days at School

Edith Jones '24

Embarrassing moments at the beginning of the school year are inevitable. Meeting new people, trying new activities, and living away from home provide plenty of situations for embarrassing mistakes. However, these embarrassing moments never result in longterm damage, and most are quickly forgotten.

Some of the most commonly reported early career slip-ups include mistaking Sixth Formers for new students (like Beatrice Selch ‘24), forgetting names (like Edie Jones ‘24), and walking into the wrong classroom (like Kaylee Kwak ‘27).

Some students from other parts of the country or world report confusion about

New England culture. One Fifth Former from the West Coast, who wishes to remain anonymous, reports that when she first came to St. Paul’s, she thought ice hockey was only a men’s sport. An awkward conversation with her hockey-player roommate resulted in a realization that field hockey was not, in fact, just a sport created for girls to be able to play a hockey-adjacent sport.

Student Council President Cris Ramirez ‘24 experienced an embarrassing moment just this year, in the Sixth Form Office introduction during New Student Orientation. Ramirez explains that the plan was for the SFOs to run onto stage together while music was playing, but that Vice President Kaden Roy ‘24 told him to run onto stage too early.

Roy denies the allegation, saying StudCo Secretary Kiki Hillery ‘24 was to blame.

member the event. Roommates Kwak and Kay Sumilas ‘27 say that they both remember nothing notable about the Orientation Day introductions. “The introductions were entertaining and quick,” said Kwak. Only when prompted did they add that they remembered troubles with the music. “Cris seemed energetic and friendly,” said Sumilas.

Though Ramirez may have felt humiliated about his first week as an SFO, public opinion confirms that it had no damage on his reputation as StudCo president.

Ramirez ran onto stage enthusiastically, but soon realized the room was silent, and he was alone. “I’m just standing there awkwardly, and all the new students are just watching me, alone,” he says. “So then I ran back.”

However, many new students barely re-

Situations such as these show that although it is understandable to be embarrassed about awkward moments in our first days on campus, they rarely have lasting effects and, if anything, make for great stories to look back on.

Graphic by Julia Koeman '25

Student Room Furniture Updated

Nausicaa Chu '26

At the start of the school year, St. Paul’s School students entered their rooms to find brand-new furniture. Old furniture was replaced with new loftable beds, desks, rolling chairs, and stackable dressers intended to be functional, comfortable, and stylish.

Dean of Students Suzanne Ellinwood explains the decision for the switch. “The Rector really wants us to be focused on the student experience, so she thought new furniture would be better for the students,” she says.

The update comes after a multi-year project to renovate the common rooms of houses across campus. Ellinwood estimates that before the refurbishment, the old furniture had been there for upwards of twenty to twenty-five years. Many items, like the oftenbroken keyboard drawers in desks and large, heavy dressers, felt outdated and inconvenient.

The school wanted the new furniture to have a modern look while maintaining functionality. “We wanted something that would look clean in every dorm,” Ellinwood says. This included replacing wooden chairs with rolling desk chairs, large dressers with stackable ones that fit under beds, and old mattresses with new ones that have both a firm and a soft side. These changes, Ellinwood said, prioritized practicality and comfort.

Student opinion on the new furniture has been largely positive. “This new furniture makes it so much easier to stay organized during the school year, with more room for my stuff and a clean look to my dorm room,” says Clara Tcherepnin ‘26.

Other students preferred the previous furnishings. Ray de Menocal ‘25 argues that the current furniture, while modern, make the dorm rooms “feel like an office.”

The restriction on outside furniture also raised concerns from some students, who were forced to dispose of chairs stored over the summer. “I think it’s sad that we can’t have our own desk chairs anymore, but at least the school improved their current ones,” says Mona Chen ‘26.

Ellinwood explains that the restriction rises from concerns over socioeconomic issues and waste. “Some people can afford to get furniture while others can’t, and at the end of the summer, a lot goes into the dumpster,” she says. Looking ahead, Ellinwood acknowledges the possibility of outside furniture in the future: “I always think there’s a chance of more flexibility later on. We’re always trying to think about how it would be equitable, not wasteful, and not a fire hazard.”

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Armour and Coit Wing Houses Switch Gender Designations

Annabella Bernhardt '24

For the first time in eight years, two houses at St. Paul’s have switched genders. Armour, previously allocated for boys, and Wing, previously designated for girls, swapped. This change is expected to remain in effect for the foreseeable future.

During the most recent admissions cycle, a record number of new students enrolled at SPS. Furthermore, the form of 2027 makeup is slightly imbalanced in its gender makeup, with more girls than boys. “Our admissions team is incredible,” Dean of Students Suzanne Ellinwood says, “but the admissions process isn’t an exact science.”

Due to the difference in capacity between Armour, which can accommodate about 36 students, and Wing, which can only house 28, Ellinwood and Vice Rector for School Life Theresa Ferns recommended the change to Rector Kathy Giles to swap the dorms. Administrators deemed the switch necessary to provide sufficient bed availability for female-identifying students.

The Dean of Students office announced

the switch after the conclusion of Mid-Spring Weekend in 2023 and after the submission of prefect applications, which some students expressed dissatisfaction about at the time.

Head of Armour House Lucinda Muther says that many boys from Armour moved to Middle, Foster, and Wing, while the girls from Wing predominantly dispersed to the quad houses, Ford and Brewster. This is Muther’s fifth year as the Head of Armour House, a role that continued after the gender switch. “The change was really nice for the girls,” she says. “It’s a really nice dorm. Honestly, I was excited. But the boys, they weren’t thrilled.”

“The boys will miss it,” says Hudson Stovall ‘24, a former Armour resident. “But I’m not upset because it definitely had to happen. It is fair, and it is what it is.” Stovall now resides in Wing.

“Housing is such an important part of life here,” says Ellinwood, “and these changes never land particularly well for students. The flipping of the dorms allowed us to have so much more equity, and if we hadn’t done that we would have so many more triples than we do now.”

Editorial Board

Editors in Chief: Skylar Christoffersen ‘24 and Lidia Zur Muhlen ‘24

Managing Editors: Andrew Choi ‘25 and Lucas Miller ‘25

Lead Copy Editors: Sarah Lee ‘24 and Cora Partridge ‘24

Copy Editors: Kelly Sung ‘25 and Nausicaa Chu ‘26

News Editor: Lulu Mangriotis ‘25

Opinions Editor: Michael Nechipurenko ‘24

Student Life Editor: Henry Dennis ‘24

Sports Editor: William Ekstrand ‘24

Special Columns Editor: Eden Knight ‘24

Graphics Editor: Cole Hamilton ‘24

Photo Editors: Temi Johnson ‘24 and Ravin Chutijirawong ‘25

Media Editors: Declan Schweizer ‘24 and Henry Dennis ‘24

How to Get Involved at St. Paul's

If you are looking for ways to get involved in student life, there’s no better way than by supporting your Big Red athletic teams. Finding ways to meet new people can be overwhelming, considering that every student has different schedules, course loads, and after-school activities.

Attending night games is one of students’ favorite ways to get involved in student life. The atmosphere of night games is chaotic in the most fun way possible, as students from different teams, forms, and dorms come together to support one another.

Milly Kirkman '25

Last year, when I was a new fourth former, I attended the boys football night game. Although I knew nothing about football, I had an amazing time due to the strong school spirit I helped promote and the energy that radiated from the crowd.

When I saw people in black SPS gear filling the perimeters of the field, I felt proud to be a part of such a supportive community. Additionally, this football game gave me an opportunity to socialize with my new peers outside of a school setting. As I cheered for the players on the field in unison with the rest

of the SPS crowd, I was able to meet people across different forms. Our screams and shouts made me feel so much pride in my school and understand just how strong school spirit is here.

Even though school work and after school commitments can make you feel busy and even overwhelmed at times, do not let yourself forget the importance of making memories here! To do that, be sure to come support our Big Red teams this fall and show your SPS spirit!

Armour, the recently switched girls dorm, photo by Jason Lee '25

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The SPS Crossword

Henry Dennis '24

Stella at SYA: The First Week

Stella McNab '25

Similar to my first day of third form at St. Paul’s two years ago, my first day in France was overwhelming and filled with introductions. The only notable difference between these two first days of school is that one took place in a language I barely understand. On this first day, I barely managed to ask someone for directions, ask for a cup of water, and fell off a bike in front of my host mom.

Despite these challenges, I persevered. I did not let the humiliation of my bike accident get in the way of having a good day. So, I finished my bike ride with pride. Learning how to do new things that you aren’t great at is difficult. Riding a bike is the obvious thing, but an inability to communicate with my host mom is something I’ve never experienced before.

Most of my responses to her have consisted of ‘oui’ or ‘je ne sais pas.’ Truly riveting conversations! Although the language barrier has been difficult, the hardest part of moving countries is not being with my friends. Back at SPS, everyone’s rooms are clad with the newest furniture (controversial or not, I love it) and decorated with posters and pictures.

I never expected to miss being with peo-

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What is the Cricket Holiday?

ple 24/7. But I liked waking up and seeing my roommate first thing in the morning, or eating with someone for every single meal. It’s been lonely to spend my days without my friends and in my room, awkwardly laying on my bed whilst attempting to come up with conversation starters with my host mom.

Despite my loneliness, I’ve tried to focus on the things that bring me happiness in this

As the new academic year begins to ramp up at St. Paul’s, there are many things to be excited about. Leaning into new classes, meeting different people, and bonding with teammates are all things students can look forward to. But amidst all the promise of the beginning of the year, one day stands out as an undeniable highlight: Cricket.

country. For starters, I enjoy the food. I have loved waking up to a croissant–truly a delicacy–and eating school food that makes me feel très heureuse! I like going to the beach and riding around on my bike (despite the accident…).

Throughout this year, I will be sharing my stories, experiences, highs, and lows from France in this column - stay tuned!

Originally meant to be a day off for a school-wide cricket tournament and the enjoyment of the vast and beautiful school grounds, the Cricket holiday is a randomly announced day off from classes in the fall term. Students spend time with friends, explore the campus trails, and enjoy the fall weather. It is announced by Rector Giles during Chapel in iconic fashion, as she asks students to open up their prayer books and turn to the Prayer for Holidays, by which time everyone will realize that Cricket is upon them. After calling the holiday, Rector Giles leads all new students on a walk to the boat docks, after which they are free to go shopping in town, relax on campus, or even get a leave and visit Boston.

However, Cricket is not the most highly anticipated event of the fall term solely be-

Club Bazaar Brings Energy to the Upper

Elle Ruminski '26

Since its founding, St. Paul’s School has been dedicated to giving students a place for their creative endeavors and an opportunity to share their passions with the school community. Four years after SPS was founded in 1856, the first club, Missionary Society, was founded.

Since then, each year, students have banded together to form new clubs and societies or continue the clubs from previous years. As the number of student-led groups at SPS grew, an annual showcasing of all the clubs on campus emerged. Within the first few weeks of a new academic school year on a Sunday, the Club and Society Bazaar is held at the Dining Hall. This year, the Bazaar was held on Sunday, Sept. 10.

This year, 65 clubs and 14 affinity groups presented their clubs to the SPS community. “I think clubs are so important at SPS because they are an opportunity for students to explore their passions and connect with others that share those same passions,” says Associate Dean of Students KC Hambleton.

“Clubs also help students discover new interests and meet new people.”

Student-led clubs and societies are beneficial for numerous reasons: clubs promote leadership, foster community through carrying out the school’s mission, advance skill development, and encourage students in their pursuit to solidify their interests.

Thirty of the clubs are pre-existing and 35 are new or have been restarted. Some new clubs this year are women-focused clubs like Athena or Women in Leadership, sportsrelated like the Pickleball Club, and businessoriented like the Money Club.

To start a new club or society, students must meet specific guidelines to receive approval for the formation of their club; preexisting clubs also must review the criteria each year to remain in good standing. Students who want to begin a club must complete a club application form, enlist a faculty adviser who is available and committed to the club, and meet with one of the Dean of Students. In addition to the aforementioned requirements, clubs must meet a minimum

of three times per term, consider hosting a school-wide event, and create a poster to share at the Bazaar.

This year’s Bazaar was exuberant, with the spirit for the new academic year starting off on a high note. Students passionately recruited new members for their group by coming up with creative ways to gain momentum for signatures.

“While I was walking around signing up for new clubs, all my friends were smiling and encouraging me to join,” says Bea Brown ‘26. “Also, even those that I didn’t know were heavily motivating everyone that walked by to sign up by chanting, standing on chairs, revealing their posters to the room, and talking positively about their club or society.”

In the end, club and society heads were smiling and sweating from a tough but exciting hour of high-spirited cheering. The Bazaar was a testament to the strong and dedicated community that SPS strives to uphold, giving students a way to connect with those who share similar passions, meet new people, and have healthy uses of free time.

cause of the day of freedom which ensues. The real excitement of Cricket, it can be argued, is the whirlwind of feverish speculation leading up to its announcement. Students spread rumors that it will occur on a certain date, hold involved debates over which day’s schedule makes the most sense for a prospective holiday, and even take part in the dangerous practice of “playing the holiday,” which involves not doing homework the night before, in the suspicion that Cricket might come the following day. As someone who has played the holiday and gotten it wrong, I highly do not recommend anyone do this. You will only be playing yourself.

For all of its quirks, Cricket is an iconic aspect of the St. Paul’s experience, and the air of its announcement brings the school community together in a wonderful way that few campus events can match.

Simple Thoughts with Jack: Escaping the Heat

Jack Bretl '24

With the pandemic no longer in their threshold of concerns, SPS students and faculty kickstarted the school year expecting a completely normal first few days back. Such an expectation, however, did not hold up. With temperatures exceeding 90 degrees almost every day, students struggled to get through the day without going back to their dorms during lunch to change their shirts, drenched in sweat.

After a single afternoon of football practice on Sept. 4, the Athletic Department decided to shift practices to the early morning. Seeing every athlete at SPS fully dressed in sportswear at the crack of dawn is certainly a novel sight, and it had its pros and cons. While the early start enabled athletes to ar-

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Lucas Conrod '25

Graphic by Michaela Hope '24

Graphic by Cole Hamilton '24

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Style Column: Liv MacMillan '25

Lidia Zur Muhlen

Have no fear everyone, the style column is back and better than ever. The fashion scene on campus is always the most interesting during the first weeks of fall term because everyone's three-month summer break offers a time to experiment with style outside of the St. Paul’s School bubble. During my four years here, it is always fun to see the new accessories or clothing combinations people wear when they first come back in September.

Today, Liv MacMillan ‘25 will recount some of her favorite summer style choices, but also bring insight into the changes she wants to see on campus to create an environment where more people feel comfortable to take risks with their outfits.

Liv is from San Francisco, which she says is a very different scene from the preppy New England boarding school culture. “In neighborhoods near me like the Mission and the Haight there is an amazing selection of vintage stores, and that’s where I grew up buying most of my clothes” she says.

The “countercultures” Liv grew up with at home were a completely different vibe from some of the floral dresses, skirts, khakis and button downs which seem to reign on campus. Her freshman year at SPS, there was no doubt Liv’s style stood out. You’d often see her in sparkly fishnets, mary janes, and vintage dresses. “It was only when I came to St. Paul’s that I realized that there were people who viewed me as super outside of the box. I never for a second thought the way I dressed would be what people notice first about me,

so it was a big culture shock.”

As she’s settled into life at SPS, Liv’s been able to combine an edgy Bay Area vibe with stiff New England boarding school prep. “I’ve found a super happy medium in my style where I feel like a part of a community, but I’m comfortable enough to experiment and try new things,” she says.

In particular, Liv says this summer was a great time to experiment with her own style. She says going back home after SPS is always refreshing because she is in “such an open environment.” Music festivals were another one of the best ways for her to see some cool outfits, “whether it's punks or dead heads or ravers — all sorts of people come together at festivals. No one feels judged or hesitant in their style choices because everyone is there to vibe and be themselves, and we need more of that at SPS.”

After Liv’s experiences back home this summer, she believes that we should all take more risks. “Life’s more fun when you don’t do what everyone expects from you,” she says. While she knows she will never be able to create the same environment on campus that she grew up with, she hopes that we can all “take ourselves a bit less seriously.”

If there’s one thing Liv learned this summer it’s to express oneself in ways that go against the norms because that is how we can create a more vibrant and interesting community. “Don’t ask if it's a dress or jeans day.

If you wanna go to Chapel dressed like a Barbie doll or Adam Sandler or Serena Van Der Woodsen, just do it. Let your style be a way to be whatever you want to be.”

Simple Thoughts with Jack

Jack Bretl '24

Continued from Page 5

rive at their first classes bright-eyed and excited to learn about concepts they might otherwise find tedious and tiresome so early in the day, it also made students feel exhausted by midday, and that lethargy was exacerbated by the unbearable heat that enclosed the grounds.

Though many romanticized early practice wake-ups, it was hard to feel as positively toward the heat. The lack of ventilation caused the formation of a cloud of fog-like steam in the men’s locker room. In the dorms, humidity lingered in the air for hours after dusk, making sleeping difficult for everyone. Even with five fans going, the windows open, and lying on top of my sheets, I resembled something close to a limp salmon gasping for air, drenched in sweat. Students’ only solution was to take cold shower after cold shower in the hopes that it would keep down their internal temperatures.

It may be time to start considering the addition of central air conditioning to the dorms in particular, as that is where the issue is most severe. If temperatures continue to surge, the school should consider taking proper precautions to help the students practice good sleeping habits and get the rest they need.

"Strangely Familiar" Exhibit Opens at Crumpacker Gallery

Aedyn Kourakos '26

Since its establishment in 2018, the Crumpacker Gallery has played a pivotal role in students’ ability to appreciate the Fine Arts through its wide-spanning and ever-evolving array of exhibitions and visiting artists.

From now until Nov. 10, the gallery is exhibiting the work of Jackie Brown, a widely-exhibited sculpture installation artist, as part of the SPS Visiting Artists Program. The program is designed to facilitate the connection between students and the broader artistic community, fostering inspiration and mentorship through both classroom and

schoolwide involvement.

Brown’s work makes an intriguing twist on the evolution of biological systems found in nature through abstract forms and vivid coloration. Her large-scale sculptures cover entire rooms with snaking, root-like limbs that shift and develop with each exhibition, alluding to “limitless potential for growth, movement, and transformation,” according to her website.

“I am particularly fascinated by recent advances in bioengineering and experiments that involve combining or altering the basic components of nature,” Brown says in her artist statement. “On some level, I see myself taking on this role through the creative pro-

cess – cutting and pasting with the parts and splicing my own imaginative systems together to explore the countless ways that raw material can continuously be restructured and adapted.”

Brown delivered a community-wide gallery talk on Sept. 14 to commemorate the official opening of her exhibition, titled “Strangely Familiar,” the following day. Throughout her visit, she stopped by fine arts classes to work with students and concluded with a Chapel talk.

“We really are invested in getting visiting artists physically on campus so they can work with the students hands on,” says Head of the Arts Department Leigh Kaulbach. “It is

really important to us that we’re exhibiting living, working artists who have a relevant conversation to bring to our community.”

Kaulbach shares that exciting things are planned for the remainder of the year at the gallery, including a celebration of Black History Month in the winter with photographers exploring the concepts of beauty and family history, as well as an exhibition of contemporary Korean ceramics in the spring in conjunction with AAPI heritage month. Later on this year, the gallery will showcase the work of students enrolled in Advanced Placement art courses and faculty and staff at SPS.

The Crumpacker Gallery is open every weekday from 9 am to 3 pm.

MacMillan in the Library showing off her style, photo by Sophia Pace '24

OPiniOns

Which Free Block is the Best?

This fall, as students returned to the grounds and learned of their new schedules, one question stood at the forefront of their minds: what free do I have?

For SPS students, a free block is not just a 45-minute break. A free is a time to study, sleep in, go to the gym, take a nap, or just relax. It’s highly important to many students that they get a “good” free; however, how “good” a free is depends entirely on what they intend to use their free time for. In essence, there are two main categories of free users: the sleepers and the workers.

A free provokes strong reactions from the student. Workers often consider A one of the worst free blocks, citing its inconvenient meeting times and Saturday long block as the block’s main pitfalls. Among sleepers, however, the Saturday sleep-in is popular.

B free is highly regarded among the workers. The block often meets mid-day and offers many opportunities to finish work throughout the week. Sleepers, however, are not a fan of B free, save the Tuesday after-

noon nap in between class and athletics. Mac Ryan ‘24 currently has F free, but would prefer B free so he can more efficiently do his work. Not only does B free allow for mid-day work, it also prevents the five-class day, which he “strongly dislikes.”

C free bears great resemblance to B free. It meets mostly mid-week, with a long block at the end of the Thursday academic day. Although they’re similar, C free is slightly less favorable to B free both by sleepers and workers, as the timing is just a little worse.

As one of the worst frees for the sleepers, D free is a great work free.

For sleepers, F free is optimal. It occurs solely at the beginning or end of the academic day, and sports a 10:15 AM sleep-in on Wednesdays. The nature of F free allows these students to take time in the morning or before sports to make up for lost sleep the night before.

The sleepers of SPS may be ecstatic to see they have F free. The workers may prefer B or C. No matter what students do in their free period, however, many agree on one thing: E free is the worst.

A Letter From Your Editors-In-Chief

Dear reader,

Somehow we are seniors now, and in charge of the school newspaper. As we ease into our roles as co-editor-in-chiefs, we have decided to completely change everything. We are shaping up to be the newspaper we always dreamed of, including voices from all over campus. With this new responsibility we added desk editors, copy editors, lead copy editors, an entire new multimedia section and more. While it might seem we are overcomplicating things, we only have your best interest in mind. We hope this new system allows us to publish almost double the amount of previous years.

At the Pelican, there is a place for you. Have you ever had any sort of opinion, ever? Reach out to Michael, our opinions editor (#nechornothing). Do you have a hot take on the latest US news? Go find Lucas, our news editor. Are you a lover of students and life? Track down Henry, our stu-

dent life editor. Do you have a burning passion to express all of your ideas constantly? Search for Eden, our Special Columns editor, and go find Jack Bretl to hear about all the great things he’s writing about in his column, Simple Thoughts with Jack. Did you take a dazzling photo of Turkey Pond this morning and are dying to show it to the world? Call up Vin or Temi, our photo editors. And lastly, any artists that can’t stop drawing should head over to Cole, our graphics editor.

Stay tuned. There is more to come, and we want you to be a part of this revolution. Reach out to us or the other editors if you have any interest in writing, photographing, drawing, designing, or creating videos for the Pelican. Start rethinking your past decisions, and begin envisioning yourself and your future with the Pelican. The time to act is now, we look forward to hearing from you… #rollpeckies2020

Sebastian Brigham '24

Skylar Christofferson '24 and Lidia Zur Muhlen '24

Skylar Christoffersen and Lidia Zur Muhlen

Written by Lulu Mangriotis '25 Graphic by Michaela Hope '24

Team Highlight: Cross Country

Sam Bentley '24

The St. Paul’s School Cross Country program finished the 2022 season on a high note when both the boys and girls teams were crowned Lakes Region Champions. This season, both teams have been working hard and are eager to defend their respective Lakes Region titles.

The intense heat wave that passed through New England in early September caused all sports teams to push their practices to early in the morning. The Cross Country team, however, dealt with this sudden shift in schedule impressively. According to co-captain Cam Perry ‘24, “everyone came to practice ready to work hard with a lot of energy.”

The captains of this year’s boys Cross

Country program are Perry and Jonathan Dase ‘24, while the girls program is led by captains Lidia Zur Muhlen ‘24 and Rebecca Barnard ‘24. These four experienced seniors are excited to take on a leadership role in the program. “For the past three years, both Jonny and I have looked up to the senior leaders, and we are both really excited to lead the team this year,” says Perry.

While the team remains dedicated to success on the course, the captains say they are also focused on cultivating a positive and inclusive team culture. Both the boys and girls teams run active Instagram accounts to promote support for the team and provide important updates on their success. These accounts continue to be a fun and creative resource through which both teams express their intense team spirit.

Come support the girls and boys Cross Country program on September 20, and watch them take on their Lakes Region opponents. Go Big Red!

Varsity Football team during practice, photo by Temi Johnson '24

Junior Varsity Girls Soccer Team (top) and Varsity Girls Soccer Team (bottom), photos by Temi Johnson '24