The Pelican Vol. LXXI, No. 2
Frebruary 14, 2022
Study Hall William Mao '23
St. Paul’s School announced academic support during the school day for the 20212022 year. During the day, study hall is available in the Bogle Library and tutoring is available in the Chapman Lounge in Lindsay, while in the evening, support is offered on the lowest level of Ohrstrom and in Lindsay 213. These new study options aim to close the gap in the educational experiences of incoming students caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Every block of the day, the program offers a quiet study hall in Bogle and teachers who can answer subject-specific questions in Chapman. Mrs. Kate Daniels, the Director of Academic Support, said the goal of this program is to encourage students to improve their executive functioning skills by using their “sneaky time”—free blocks or Hum Flexes that are just short enough that students end up delaying their homework instead of taking advantage of this potentially productive time. As Mrs. Daniels explained, “If you can get something done during that 45 minutes during the day, that’s 45 minutes you don’t have to work at night.” This new form of academic support coincides with a larger initiative to support students who were impacted by the pandemic. Last year, Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Lori Bohan, the Dean of Studies, co-chaired a taskforce called “Mind the Gap” that investigated the effects of the pandemic on incoming students’ past academic year. The committee discovered a wide range of experiences, with some students enjoying a largely normal school year while others attended online school for the entire pandemic. The taskforce also found that the pandemic affected students socially and emotionally. Many students were isolated from their friends and teachers, and some even faced financial hardships, undoubtedly causing anxiety and deteriorating students’ mental health. Although these inevitable gaps in student knowledge and mental health challenges continue to emerge, Mrs. Daniels believes that student support like counseling and the new study options during the day will help ensure that no student is left behind. “We're going to make sure that the kids feel supported,” said Mrs. Daniels, referring to both social-emotional and academic assistance. “I feel blessed to work at a place like St. Paul’s that recognizes that students might need something extra and then can actually supply it.”
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Blue Stockings Miya Zhang '25 “Hysteria is caused by the female womb wandering about the body,” cries Professor Maudsley (Mikai Spencer ‘22), a renowned Cambridge lecturer. It makes women unfit for educational endeavors, and the only way to cure a wandering womb is through childbirth. Infuriated, Tess Moffat (Margaret Hillery ‘22), a first-year female student at Girton College, stands up to challenge his statement, only to be ridiculed as an example of “female hysteria.” She is threatened and forced to leave. The St. Paul’s School Theatre Company performed Blue Stockings by Jessica Swale, a play following four female undergraduates at Girton College, Cambridge in the late 1800s during the fight for their right to graduate with a degree. “I’m excited to do a full production of this level, since we haven’t been able to do this in a while because of COVID,” said Hillery, a week before the play. The whole theatre group had been attending weekly rehearsals in preparation for the Fall Play, with additional rehearsals added as the dates of their
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three-day performance schedule drew nearer. “For seniors, this will be their last Fall Play,” reflected Spencer (who played Will Bennett, an undergraduate at King’s College and Tess’ childhood friend, along with Mr. Banks) and Anna Purvis ‘22 (who played Celia Willbond, a “sort-of ” first-year undergraduate at Girton) on the bittersweetness of their last fall production. Despite this, the whole cast was able to put on a stunning performance, spittle flying as Lloyd (Daniel Schaner ‘24) led an angry mob into Girton protesting the vote for women to qualify with degrees despite the best efforts of Mrs. Welsh (Mason Deas ‘24), the principal of Girton, in advocating for the female right to education. The audience laughed at each appearance of the formidable Miss Bott (Jo Elisova ’23), the girls’ chaperone, especially when Holmes (Elizabeth Ramos ‘23) showed up at the same time. The bond between the four students of Girton— Tess Moffat, Maeve Sullivan (Leslie Sackey ‘22), Celia Willbond, and Carolyn Addison
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(Emma Claire Horvath ‘22)—was heartwarming amid the backdrop of those against the suffrage movement and Maeve’s ultimate removal from the school. Mr. Christopher Briante’s direction left audiences entranced, as scenes flourished around the large stained glass window and blackboards lining the space of the classroom and into the outside space of the apple orchard, surrounded by hanging vines, the design of Mrs. Kate Briante. “Blue Stockings” was a big hit with the SPS community, with the cast receiving a standing ovation and prolonged applause at the end of the show. Hugs and flowers were exchanged afterwards along with exclamations of “That was so good!” and “They did so well!” as the audience filed out of New Space. Thank you to all those who worked hard on this play, including the production team and those who were not able to attend.
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Día de los Muertos Isabella Martinez '24 The excitement for Día de los Muertos, known in English as Day of the Dead, was prevalent throughout our community during the last weeks of October, through the Latinx Society’s multiple Chapel announcements and the vivid decorations that filled the entrance of Schoolhouse. Though these notified the community of the arrival of Día de los Muertos, I do not doubt that many of you are still left with a pretty important question: What is the Day of the Dead? While Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday, it is celebrated throughout Latin America. As Caryl-Sue Micalizio describes in an October 2012 issue of National Geographic, the customs of this holiday derive from already-popularized aspects of this region: indigenous Aztec rituals and Catholicism. As such, the dates of Día de los Muertos coincide with minor holidays in the Catholic calendar: All Saints Day and “El Día de los Inocentes,” the Day of the Children, occur on November 1; All Souls Day and “El Día de los Muertos'' happen on November 2. So, the Day of the Dead is celebrated when midnight strikes on
October 31 until November 2. It is believed that the gates of heaven are opened at this time, “[dissolving] the border between the spirit world and the real world.” This allows the spirits of children to reunite with their families on November 1 for 24 hours, and the spirits of adults to do the same on November 2. In preparation to welcome lost loved ones, ofrendas are prepared. An ofrenda is an altar where a family will place pictures of relatives who have died, alongside their favorite foods, drinks, or emblems. According to a 2021 article on history.com, ofrendas are also often decorated with candles and bright marigold flowers. Other symbols that are widely recognized for Día de los Muertos are skeletons or skulls. As Día de los Muertos is a warm holiday to celebrate life, you will often see these skeletons, normally dull and symbolizing death, smiling, in vibrant colors, and wearing elegant clothing. Keeping the many traditions of Día de los Muertos in mind, the Latinx Society took pride in honoring this holiday by bringing it to our campus. In the week leading up to November 2, the group gathered to decorate Schoolouse; it was quite impossible to miss as large, colorful tapestries and posters depicting skeletons lined the walls of the entrance. The tables, in place of an ofrenda, displayed figurines of skeletons dancing, singing, and
The Hungry Pelican Audrey Biles '22 Who knew that salad bowls could completely change my relationship with the Upper? The food has been yummy lately, but nothing outshines the white bowls that are all the rage at the salad bar. If you follow me on Instagram (@onehungryballerina), then you might have seen my “greens and grains” creations on my story. In an effort to get all of you on this train, I thought I would share my wisdom and help you build your very own masterpiece. The key to a delicious “greens and grains” bowl is LOTS of texture. Lettuce and rice won’t cut it… We need creativity, people! I like to start with a base of greens. Toss them in olive oil, a little salt, and balsamic if you are feeling crazy. Grab your grain! I love the quinoa and farro salads that can often be found on the salad bar. Are Grab n’ Go leftovers not your thing? Brown rice from the hot food section would be equally delicious. Legendary HumPhys teacher Dr. G would be extremely disappointed if we forgot our amino acids… So get that protein! You can either head to the hot food line for chicken and tofu, or mix and match beans and legumes from the salad bar. Mix in those cooked veggies! I am a firm believer that the best bowls include foods of varying temperatures. Sweet potatoes are a solid and consistent option, but I also like to add whichever vegetables are being served in the hot food line. Dips! I won’t even look at a bowl that doesn’t have hummus. But there are days when it can’t be found on the salad bar, and in this situation, pesto will suffice. Not a fan of these two? Mustard, marinara sauce, or guacamole (which I am excited to announce has been consistent on the salad bar!) are acceptable alternatives. Toppings are not to be skipped! The Upper has so many amazing offerings, ranging from peanuts and walnuts to pumpkin seeds and croutons. Mix and match, sprinkle with confidence, be brave! Peanuts and rice, a combination I was once skeptical of, is now a personal Upper favorite. I hope these tips motivate you to approach the Upper with a new sense of inspiration and excitement. See you next issue! Xoxo, One Hungry Pelican
playing music, as well as flowers emulating marigolds and pictures that members of the St. Paul’s School community placed of relatives they had lost. The overarching notion of Día de los Muertos is to cherish and rejoice the short
February 14, 2022 amount of time that we have with one another. To this, I say we move forward with this goal in mind: to fully appreciate the opportunities, memories, and people that we are introduced to during our short, yet transformational time here at SPS.
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Spirit Week: Pajama Day Miya Zhang '25
The first day of Spirit Week at St. Paul’s School actually felt quite sleepy. It had been a gray day, the red brick paths of campus shiny from last night’s rain. Students jaunted around in fluffy slippers and bathrobes, a scene which would probably result in many confused onlookers. Pajama Day meant students in large hoodies and sweatpants filing in for Monday chapel service, most looking relaxed and at ease as they sank into their seats. There was one girl in a reindeer onesie, and many kids in SPS sweatshirts and red flannel plants. A Strawberry Cow Pillow Pet was in the arms of one Third Former, a golden-retriever-sized stuffed tiger nestled under the arm of another. “Pajama day was my favourite out of all of the days,” says Kira McGill ’24. “It was comfortable, it got most of the school dressing up, and we didn’t even have to change after getting up in the morning.”
Family Day Angel Hu '24
of the following generations: toddlers, babies, parents, or grandparents. A grey-haired old man with a walking stick and a three-monthold baby might be sitting in the same classroom—or even belong to the same form. This was a day of creativity. The night before, students put together all sorts of crazy outfits that consisted of colorful wigs, dad pants, polos, belts and hand-me-downs. For some, this might not be their most comfortable or stunning school attire, but it was certainly entertaining. Along with the change of clothes, many students carried themselves with an air of school spirit. While “dads” would be leaning against the Schoolhouse gate with a leather wallet in hand, “moms” would be gathering in the Lindsay court, with their colorful sunglasses hanging from their sweaters and their cups of coffee in hand. “Toddlers” hopped excitedly across campus, while “grandparents” stumbled every two steps. (Thankfully, the “grandparents” all seemed to recover mobility when afternoon sports started at 3:30 p.m.) “I chose to dress up as the ‘parents’ generation,” said Miru Nam ‘24, “It was fun wearing a mom outfit, something I usually wouldn’t do at school. ”
After Pajama Day came Family Day. All students were encouraged to dress up as any
Faculty Profile: Rev. Thorne Harold Kim '25
The Rev. Walter Thorne grew up in Washington DC and attended an Episcopal middle and high school. He also regularly attended a local Episcopal church throughout his childhood, but in high school he made the choice not to attend due to his participation in sports. He sought out organized religion again in college when the absence of it led him to realize its importance in his life. Rev. Thorne graduated from the University of Virginia, majoring in economics and religious studies. He earned his master’s degree in divinity from the University of Chicago. He worked at a brand new school in Hollywood, named the Episcopal School of Los Angeles, for seven years. At this school, he held many different responsibilities at different points in time because the school was not yet firmly established. Some of what he did was teaching religion, ethics, and economics, coaching basketball, P.E., and rugby, and working in admissions, development, and facilities. An interesting project he managed was the renovation of a 20,000-squarefoot school building. After seven years of working at a new school in Los Angeles, he was looking for a change to work at a school that was more established, especially in religion. When looking to work for a school on the East Coast, his wife told him that she was “open to the idea
of moving on to a boarding school campus, but it had to be beautiful.” He said, “This place has definitely checked that box.” Rev. Thorne stated that he was interested in how St. Paul’s School had maintained its Episcopal identity as well as changed through time. He felt that while SPS had definitely changed and adapted much, the spirit and tradition of the school was living on in a meaningful way. At SPS, Rev. Thorne is teaching Humanities III and a religion elective called Brahma to Buddha. He performs many tasks relating to chapel services as one the chaplains as well. In addition, he is involved in coaching basketball and crew. Rev. Thorne is an advisor and resident of Foster House. An intriguing fact about the chaplain is that he lacks most of his left pectoral muscle after tearing it while working out. During his free time, you can see him on campus walking his dog, fly fishing, grilling, and singing.
Anything But Your Backpack Day Anna Liu '25
“Anything But Your Backpack'' Day started with a viral Tiktok video: in the video, students in Idaho whose schools had banned book bags used “anything but their backpack” to bring material to school. Although the students of St. Paul’s School did not have to resort to using microwaves or Christmas stockings like those students did, the student body certainly did not lack creativity. All of Spirit Week had been quite rainy and cold. Those certainly weren’t the best conditions to be making your way to class with your books and binders in a trash bin. But the students’ spirit did not falter. Some students rolled around a suitcase or even trudged up the hill to classes with carts. Other unforgettable figures from that drizzly Wednesday morning include Isabelle Erlinger ‘23 with her Guy Fieri Flavortown flag, Lillian Cassidy ‘22 pushing a volleyball cart,
P.3 and Cece Peter ‘23 bringing a minifridge. It was refreshing to see all the joyful reactions from students, as they were able to break out of the daily regime of bringing the same backpack to class. “Anything but your Backpack” day was surely a sight to behold. The waves of blue recycling bins, the lumpy, black sports bags, and the various random containers provided a nice splash of color against the foggy grey campus that Wednesday morning.
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Fall Talk: Renée Watson and Brendan Kiely Kelly Sung '24 What could possibly be a better way to spend a Friday night than sitting in a vibrant room with friends, mouthwatering snacks, and two New York Times best selling authors? On October 22, students were invited to a writer talk with Renee Watson, author of the award-winning young adult novel Piecing Me Together, and Brendan Kiely, author of another award-winning young adult novel, All American Boys. Coincidentally, in the Humanities curriculum, Third Form students recently finished reading and learning about both novels and the recurring themes presented in them. Mrs. Beth Little, a Humanities III teacher and close friend of both authors, facilitated the conversation and relayed students’ questions for the two to answer. Thank you Mrs. Little, for the amazing experience! Though COVID restrictions unfortunately necessitated that the webinar be held online, it was still effective. Besides the students joining through Zoom, over 20 Third
SPS At Head of the Charles Maddie Rosato '23 This fall, four St. Paul’s School athletes traveled to the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) to compete in the men’s and women’s doubles races. The HOCR is one of the largest regattas in the world. It takes place each year during one weekend in October, and almost 2,000 boats compete— this amounts to almost 11,000 athletes and almost 225,000 spectators! The course at the HOCR is approximately three miles long, beginning at the Boston University boathouse and ending right before Northeastern University’s boathouse. The HOCR is known for being one of the most challenging race courses, and our SPS athletes were up for that challenge. Starting as the 48th boat in the women’s doubles, Valentina Barletta ‘24 and Anna Zoltowski ‘23 finished in 31st place with a time of 22 minutes and 10 seconds. Zoltowski sat in the bow seat and Barletta in the stroke seat in the SPS Filippi boat made in 1986. Starting as the 42nd boat in the men’s doubles, Cub Scott ‘22 and Jack Sulger ‘24 finished in 49th with a time of 21 minutes and 1 second. Scott sat in the stroke, while Sulger sat in the bow. Reflecting on the race, Zoltowski notes, “I think both boats had a really good time on
Formers showed up to watch in Sheldon Sheldon, where the webinar was being projected on a large TV screen by Humanities teacher Ms. Lauren Lamb. The topic of the webinar was “Social Justice and Activism Through Writing,” since both novels relate to activism via diverse media. To start off, brief introductions were given by the authors, followed by backgrounds of their novels. They then shared excerpts from their works, reading aloud meaningful passages especially pertinent to the topic of the discussion. Lastly, they held a Q&A session, which all students participated in vigorously, as they were excited to ask insightful questions of the authors. Third Formers were especially happy to enjoy a night of late check, with the webinar ending at quarter past eight. All in all, the writer talk was an amazing opportunity for students to interact with authors whose works they had been reading for the past two months.
the water. We both steered well and raced other crews well. The crosswind was tough at the beginning but due to the turns in the course we ended up with almost a tailwind by the end. Overall, a good experience and I would’ve loved no boat more than our wooden Filippi.” Both crews had a phenomenal performance and cannot wait for the spring season to begin!
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Halloween 2021 Cora Partridge '24
This year’s Halloween Weekend at St. Paul’s School was quite the spooky spectacle. Main attractions included showings of A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place 2 in Raffini Commons, as well as a Halloween Dance in the tennis courts. While A Quiet Place did not have quite the same chilling effect in a room full of chatting students, it nonetheless held up. Sounds, when made, jarred the students out of their camaraderie and lifted their gazes from their food. The Halloween Dance was slightly more energized, with a fabulous Funkdefied performance to kick off the night. A plethora of students—some costumed, others not— crowded into the appropriately decorated Stovall Tennis Courts for an evening of Goosebumps and Taylor Swift. While some danced the night away, others chose to leave early for Raffini Commons, where the movie marathon still ran and free cookies abounded. Sunday evening, the Halloween festivities began again with Trick-or-Treating and a Halloween Open House at the Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul. As students and faculty children donned costumes and traversed
campus in search of sweets, the chapel opened its doors to visitors in search of Halloween horror. Walking through the chapel was certainly an experience. With grim reapers as greeters, a bone chilling clown at the lectern ready to make a chapel announcement, and spooky spider webs lining the pews, it was impossible not to get goosebumps. The Hallows Eve ambience was only amplified by Mr. Nicholas White’s eerie organ music. As the sun went down, students trickled back into their dorms for an evening of homework and perhaps a scary film or two. Halloween 2021 at SPS concluded, decidedly a weekend of wonderful memories.
Dear Reader, What I believe makes our newspaper special is the team behind it—the people who share their passions with the community through writing, editing, layout, and fine arts. Every article and design contains unique, personal flair from its contributors. Whether it’s finding inspiration for a scoop, creating deep connections through interviews, or crafting stories from the heart, our journeys of journalism have very rewarding moments. And what better reward to share our work with you? Thank you for perusing our second issue of the year. We hope you enjoyed our recap of end-of-fall highlights. There is much more to come in our next issue, where we’ll dive into the winter experiences we love. See you soon, Jackie Chen 2021-2022 Editor-in-Chief
- THE 2021-2022 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Jacqueline Chen MANAGING EDITOR Audrey Biles LAYOUT EDITORS Skylar Christoffersen Lidia Zur Muhlen
ASSISTANT PRINT EDITORS Isabelle Erlinger Madison Rosato Wendy Sun Ashley Zhou PHOTO AND GRAPHICS EDITOR Lynn Kang