The Nobleman: October 2012

Volume 102 • Number 1 Noble and Greenough School, Dedham, Massachusetts October 26, 2012

The Castle Leads Community’s Green Initiative

This September marked the open-ing of the new Castle, the result of a process of refurbishing the old Castle and creating an addition that features a larger kitchen, a terrace, and new dining and serving halls. The Castle Project is another exam-ple of the green initiative at Nobles.

With a goal of creating a zero net increase in energy consumption, al-most every aspect of the design pro-cess was thought through with en-ergy efficiency in mind. The expertly angled windows, a special roof on the terrace, thermal solar panels, and radiant floors ensure the proper temperature for diners while us-ing less energy. The windows and roof let in light and heat when the sun is low and block the sun from heating the building in the warmer months. Also, pipes running below the Castle use water heated by solar panels to warm up the dining halls.

The production of waste has also been dramatically decreased with the use of a Pulp Extractor. One of only a few machines of its kind in New England, the Pulp Ex-tractor, affectionately referred to as “The Pulverizer,” takes waste products such as napkins, discarded food, and even inorganic materi-als and extracts water. Organic waste is then crushed into compost.

The old section of the Castle has also been refurbished. Built over 120 years ago, the Castle had no structural drawings, and the pro-cess was mostly guesswork and was riddled with surprises, according to Business Manager Steve Ginsberg. However, even with such challeng-es, all four floors of the old Castle were modernized, including the

insertion of an elevator, handicap access, and more efficient plumb-ing, heating, and electrical systems.

While faculty housing in the Castle previously consisted of a dorm-like room with a shared bathroom down the hall, the Castle now provides full apart-ments, each complete with a bath-room and kitchenette. Addition-ally, the Castle library now serves as a meeting room and lounge.

The combination of these mod-ern systems in the old section of the Castle and the highly effective green initiatives seen in the new side has made this goal of creating a zero net increase in energy use quite realis-tic, and although he was skeptical at first, Ginsberg assures that the the-ory makes sense. The numbers are not in yet, but the possibility of hav-ing attained this goal is very likely.

The Castle is expected to receive

at least a silver, and likely a gold, LEED certificate. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental De-sign) is a series of rating systems for the construction and design of green buildings that gives archi-tects and building owners a frame-work for constructing practical and energy efficient buildings. To re-ceive a gold certificate is not only a great honor, but also an incredible achievement for the school, as it re-

quires full commitment to sustain-ability and reduction of energy use.

From the Pulp Extractor to the solar thermal panels on the roof of the addition, the Castle is now ener-gy efficient, and shows the school’s continued concern for the environ-ment. “It is important to demon-strate this commitment to educating students about the importance of sustainable design,” said Ginsberg.

Helen KirkStaff Writer

Nobles’ Muslims Reflect on School ExperiencesKim Nguyen and Anika Singh

Staff Writer and Multimedia Staff

Violent protests against anti-Islamic content continue to flare worldwide. The coverage of the Muslim population responsible for violence incites discussions of cultural sensitivity, tolerance, free-dom of expression, and justifica-tion, all of which have reached the Nobles campus. Reflecting upon these events has raised a critical question: in a space of so many contrasting opinions, is Nobles a safe place for Muslims?

Hamzat Raheem (Class I) can barely recall a time when he felt targeted for his Islamic faith. Only once, while traveling with a group of other Muslims to a Nigerian Mus-lim conference, did Hamzat face dis-

crimination. Customs officers made their uneasiness clear through stares and excessive security checks. Their discomfort was disconcert-ing to Hamzat and his friends.

In contrast, no interaction involv-ing his religion at Nobles has ever made him feel uncomfortable. “I believe that ignorance births things like intolerance and discrimination. People at Nobles are pretty educated, so naturally there isn’t even an air of lack of acceptance that exists. I feel accepted by default,” said Hamzat.

Raheem Barnett (Class I), an-other Muslim student, said, “People don’t really dwell on [my religion] at all, and I think that is a good thing. I think it doesn’t really matter what your religion is when you are here, and I think that it really shouldn’t,”

said Barnett. When asked about whether or not students are accept-ing of Muslims once they are aware of his religion, Barnett said, “It’s not something that I naturally go up to people and say. I don’t natu-rally talk about [my religion], but I don’t think that is because I’m Muslim, or I feel like I need to do that. It’s just not something that naturally comes up, and if it does, no one ever treats me differently.”

One of the most demanding Islamic customs is Ramadan. Al-though the fasting usually takes place over the summer, other prac-tices fall on the school calendar. Nobles does not allot vacation days for Islamic traditions, but “is incred-ibly understanding about missing a day of school,” Hamzat said. “Islam

The view of the Castle with its new addition from Greene Field (Photo Credit: Jonathan Sands)

Continued on page 9

An excerpt of the Qu’ran and an Arabic transliteration of “Qu’ran” (Graphic: Kim Nguyen)

Wha

t’s In

side

Introduction from our President

Page 2

New TeacherProfilesPages 3-4

Presidential & Senatorial

ElectionCoverage

Pages 6-9

The Shadow Stalks Tom M o r r i s o n

(Class II)Back page

Page 2 • • October 26, 2012

Editorial/Profile

Editor-in-Chief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan SandsManaging Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ilana Solomons Nate ShamesDigital Media Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maya GetterLayout Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shanti Gonzales

Jett OristaglioCopy Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rachel Gardner

Susruthi RajanalaStaff Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akshan deAlwis

Annie JonesGeorge Farley

Helen Kirk Kim Nguyen Lucas O’Brien Mason Pulde Savannah HortonMultimedia Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amelia Antone Anika Singh

Jonathan Bloch Meg von Schroeter Mia Murphy Sarah Riley Will CaryBusiness Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James GearyFaculty Advisors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Kinard John Hirsch

The Nobleman is the official student newspaper of Noble & Greenough School. The Nobleman seeks to stimulate discussion of pertinent school issues through news stories and editorials and media pieces. It encourages all those involved with the school to voice their opinions and ideas through letters to the editor. All responsible opinions will be published, space permitted, as long as they are signed by the author(s). Letters should be addressed to: The Noble-man, c/o Noble & Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026 or sent by e-mail to [email protected]. Printing by Harvard Printing Press, Cambridge, MA.

Introducing Cyrus Veyssi

Cyrus Veyssi is this year’s SLC president. Cyrus gave the Nobleman an exclusive interview so that the school could get to know the real him.

How do you see yourself ful-filling the role of president?

“When I was a sixie, I looked up to the president, Raj Dhaliwal (N ‘09), and saw someone who seemed powerful and untouchable, and it still shocks me that I am in that position. I’ve tried to make myself as approachable as possible for the younger students. When I was in middle school, I felt like my voice wasn’t heard because I was too in-timidated to speak my mind or do what I wanted to do. If I can get kids who are like me to come talk to me and feel as though they have a say in this community, I’d consider that a success. I represent the student body, and one of the biggest mis-takes that we, as a society, make is that we group and label students. Just because I’m representing a group does not mean that everyone in that group has to be like me.”

What would you like to focus on changing this year?

“Something that I want to change this year is passive bully-ing. People don’t understand how serious bullying is. Sure, we’re not in an unsafe environment, but I’m talking less about actively putting someone else down in a group, be-cause that is rare here. I mean the type of bullying that happens subtly, that changes the tone of this school and can intimidate students from being themselves. As someone with a very different background than other students, I often felt as though I was an easier target when I was younger. I don’t think that there is any excuse for highlighting oth-ers’ flaws in a malicious way, and it never made sense to me how people can sometimes feed off the sad-ness and cruel treatment of others. There is no excuse for it, and there is no excuse for watching it happen.

This especially comes to light in modern times with the topic of sexual orientation. I think at Nobles there’s a significant lack of education about the LGBT com-munity. When people think of the word “gay” as meaning “stupid” or “feminine”, it’s because they have an image of a very stereotypical or flamboyant gay man. People need to understand that there is nearly a 100% guarantee that a person that they know and respect is gay or lesbian and is struggling with gender identity and sexual orien-tation. If people really understood that, I think it would change the way that they would then respond and react to gay jokes. For people that are struggling with their sexual identity, what may seem like just a word can really hurt deeply. While LGBT bullying is one of the most common and destructive forms, there is no excuse for any type of it, and that is what I would want to focus on changing in the school.”

Is there one piece of advice you’ve learned that you would like to pass on?

“Never, never, never compare yourself to other people, because that has been the source of all of my needless anxiety and stress. Every single person in this school has different aspects of themselves that they have to offer. Being in a school where excellence (whether academic, athletic, or artistic) is the “norm,” the atmosphere of-ten entails that students com-pare themselves to other people. “

What was your first experi-ence at Nobles that made you want to stay?

“The incredible ease at which I was able to approach anyone in this community. I knew that there were teachers that cared about me per-sonally and people that I could al-ways go to, and that was something that I didn’t think I could experi-ence at any place except for Nobles. The faculty here is the most selfless group of people I have met in my life, and I owe a lot of my personal happiness and stability to many of the people in this community.”

What risk do you regret not taking?

“That I didn’t have enough trust and faith in myself at pursuing a sport. I’ve never experienced what it’s like to be on a team. I have been on many casts but it’s different. While it is an amazing group of peo-ple, I would have loved to have that experience with a sports team too.”

What’s something you never told someone but wish you had?

“I was at lunch one day, and there was a group of kids behind me, and one of them used “gay’ in a very demeaning and cruel way. My biggest regret is that I didn’t turn and say something to them. From then on, I promised myself that I wouldn’t let myself be a bystander.”

Do you have any final words?

“In your Nobles experience, don’t get too caught up with what’s go-ing on around you. If you worry and if you’re nervous and if you’re anxious, keep it in perspective, be-cause ultimately you are in one of the most amazing places that you could be. It sounds cliché, but learn to appreciate the moment because when you spend your time think-ing about the future, you don’t appreciate the now. Learn to con-front situations where you feel like you should say something, go with your gut, and know that there are many people in this commu-nity here for you regardless of your highest highs and lowest lows.”

School President Cyrus Veyssi (Class I) greets the Nobles community. (Photo Credit Amelia Antone)

Jett OristaglioLayout Editor

Editorial It seems like we were just watching Barack Obama’s inauguration, and we have already launched into yet another election cycle. The media frenzy regarding the election has been overwhelming, and most of the coverage has been less than stellar. Pundits on all sides of the ideological spectrum have been spewing vitriol, denouncing the candidates and entire party platforms without sufficient qualifications or justifications. The recent developments in social media and online election coverage have given almost everyone the ability to voice his or her opinions through Twitter or a blog. While this change has introduced a diversity of perspective to elec-tion commentary, these developments have also saturated the country with unlettered criticisms, which has drowned out any objective commentary. The voices of non-partisan commentators willing to criticize and fact-check both sides cannot be heard over the din of shrill punditry. The original mission of journalism – to provide an independent commentary on society – has been lost in this election cycle. It is within this context that we begin another year of The Nobleman, cognizant of the difficulties facing journalism, yet aware and mindful of our role in the school and the tradition we represent. Journalism is a unique en-deavor. It is contingent upon the environment in which it ex-ists, and unlike other disciplines, it is particularly grounded in the world. Journalism’s contingency makes it a dynamic, ever-changing field that requires adaptability. For 101 years, The Nobleman has provided a distinct perspective on institu-tions and issues at the school. The Nobleman is both a part of the school and also an independent, objective voice that produces fair commentary. That is our mission, and we are committed to continuing this proud tradition.

“Just because I’m representing a group does not mean that everyone in that group has to be like

me.”


Features

Sara RemsenBiology Teacher

Sara Remsen is a Dartmouth graduate who always knew that she wanted to be a teacher. She was born in Dover, MA and attended Dana Hall School. She was a student tutor in high school and was a part of SEAD (Summer En-richment at Dartmouth). SEAD was funded by the Tucker foundation, and it brought high school students to Dartmouth over the sum-mer to work as academic coaches. While al-ways sure of her desire to teach, she confirmed her conviction by going on a research trip to Costa Rica and the Cayman Islands. Ms. Rem-sen now teaches biology at Nobles.

What made you want to come to Nobles?

“The fellowship program and the support that I receive from the faculty. I always wanted to be a good teacher, and I loved the atmo-sphere of Nobles.”

What is your favorite aspect of teaching?

“I love the student-teacher relationship, but there’s also more to it. I want to teach students the tools to understand the world and how it works. Recently, a 9th grade student came to me and said that she wanted to be a researcher in the jungle. I told her that I had spent some time conducting research in Costa Rica and recommended a summer program. She came in the next day and told me that she thought she was going to actually join the science re-search program. That was the first moment that I really saw myself have a direct influence

on a student, and it was an exciting feeling.”

What do you want students to take away from your classes?

“I want them to learn the skills needed to succeed later in their Nobles career and eventu-ally later in their life. For many freshmen, this is their first serious science class, and I want to give them the skills to dissect a science text-book or correctly do a lab. I also want to spark enthusiasm about their next science classes in the coming years and show them how to apply what they’ve learned to the real world.”

If you could take another teacher’s job in another subject, who would it be?

“Kelsey Grousbeck (N ‘08) teaches an awe-some course in photography. I minored in digi-tal art and computer science in college, and I would love to be able to teach a more artistic class.”

Who were your favorite and least favorite teachers, and why?

“My favorite teacher was Mr. Fadden, my 10th grade chemistry teacher. He was straight out of the 70’s, with big glasses and a mus-tache. He always had cool demonstrations and really brought passion to the classroom. My least favorite teacher was my bio teacher in ninth grade. She was the opposite: completely apathetic about the course, and she showed it. I came into the class excited, and left feel-ing disappointed. Teachers who bring passion to classrooms pass that excitement onto their

New Teacher Profiles

cational experience.”What was your first notable experi-

ence that drew you to Nobles?“Before I came to teach at Nobles, I worked

at Achieve for two years with Ms. Yepez, Ms. McQuillan, and Mr. Nguyen. Achieve pro-vides students an independent school experi-ence who may not otherwise have access to a quality education. It’s a unique educational model, and it showed me everything that I wanted in a school: a dedication to and pas-sion for teaching, a focus on social justice, and a commitment to diversity and accessi-bility that is hard to find in any other school in the ISL.”

What’s your favorite part of teaching, and what brought you back to teaching after Harvard?

“My favorite part of teaching is the devel-opment of personal relationships that emerge between teachers and students and the con-stant learning process that both experience. I love the fact that there are successes and challenges in each class. It keeps every year fresh.”

What do you most want you students to take away from your classes?

“A genuine intellectual curiosity and a de-sire to learn. In five years, my students may not remember the content of my class, but I want them to be able to pick up a book and be excited. I want them to become independent thinkers.”

Mike Kalin grew up in Iowa, went to Har-vard College to receive a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary Social Studies, and then moved to New York City to teach. He taught at a public school in the South Bronx and then moved yet again to teach at Berkshire School, a Western Mass boarding school. After four years he returned to Boston for a Master’s degree in School Leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Ka-lin’s return to Harvard for grad school “gave [him] the opportunity to reflect on [his] own [method of teaching], as well as learn ways that adults work together to improve teach-ing and learning.” He now teaches history and English at Nobles.

What differences do you notice be-tween Nobles and the school in the South Bronx?

“In the South Bronx, there was much more variation in the academic capabilities of the students. There was still a lot of hard work and determination to learn, but because classes were so big, it was difficult to get the individual teacher-student connection that you can get here. There was also a lot more variation in commitment from the faculty. In the South Bronx, you had a mixture of teach-ers who were passionate about their jobs and were dedicated to their students and others who simply weren’t motivated. At Nobles, across the board teachers have a dedication to students and a willingness to put in the hours necessary to provide an incredible edu-

Annie JonesStaff Writer

Cece Duffy, a new freshman, has challenged existing gender norms by joining the Junior Varsity Foot-ball team in order to continue par-ticipating in the sport she loves.

A boarder from Chelsea, Mas-sachusetts, Duffy has been playing football since she was five years old. She joined Chelsea Pop Warner in the sixth grade, where she said it “was not unusual” for girls to participate.

Keeping up with the boys is not one of Duffy’s concerns. Boys seem to treat Duffy as their equal on the field. They’re not “afraid to hit me too hard because they know I can take it,” she said. Comparing her experience on an all-boys team to her all-girls la-crosse teams, Duffy says that the boys are surprisingly “emotional.”

Despite her teammates’ hesita-

tions, Duffy’s opponents never seem to back down. “I always end up with that one psycho person who wants to throw me no matter what,” she said, referencing a particularly bad hit from a Lawrence Academy play-er. “I was nowhere near the ball and the play was done,” she said. Duffy went unharmed, but her mom “freaked out” when she saw the video of the tackle. “When my mom sees someone getting injured during a game, she always thinks, ‘please let that not be my kid,’” said Duffy.

Duffy’s mom hasn’t had many opportunities to see her daugh-ter play. “I haven’t been playing a lot; I’ve been switching posi-tions,” said Duffy, who has made the switch from wide receiver to corner back and finally to line-backer. She is progressively get-ting more playing time though, adding, “I’m meeting with the coaches this week to go over plays.”

The support Duffy receives from her teammates and coaches is not always mirrored in the actions of opposing teams. “No one would shake my hand,” she said of the players on the Brooks School team, adding that most of the Lawrence Academy players wouldn’t either.

Getting on the team was not easy for Duffy. After attending the foot-ball meeting at the beginning of the year, Duffy was told by Head Coach Bob Moore that she would not be able to participate. Initially, “it was [Moore’s] understanding that foot-ball in the ISL was only for boys.” However, after looking further into it, along with Athletic Director Alex Gallagher (N ‘90), Moore found that because it is a sub-varsity team, Duffy was able to join. Gallagher was responsible for writing to opponents to inform them of Duffy’s participa-tion. Gallagher said that through-out all his years coaching at Nobles,

there has been no other female student on the team. However, this year, the Groton School has some female members on its team as well.

When asked about the role of gender rules in sports, Moore re-sponded, “A lot of it has to do with Title IX.” The federal act passed on June 23, 1972, Title IX, signed into law by President Nixon, states that, ‘No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the bene-fits of, or be subjected to discrimina-tion under any education program or activity receiving Federal finan-cial assistance.’” Although Nobles does not receive federal funding, Ti-tle IX sparked new discussions and attitudes about the role of women in sports, opening up numerous oppor-tunities for female student athletes.

However, Title IX also ensures that players of one gender partici-pating on a predominantly opposite

gender team are not prohibiting the fairness of play. Gallagher gave the example of a European male student coming to an ISL boarding school to join the field hockey team. In Eu-rope, field hockey is traditionally a male sport. “Having a male player on the team would be a disadvan-tage for their opponents,” said Gal-lagher. For this reason, field hockey, along with football, is one of the ISL sports that place gender restrictions on players at the varsity level. It is “to offer a balance for boys and girls in athletics,” said Moore. “The im-portant thing is to give girls equal and fair opportunity to play a sport.”

Regardless of the challenges Duffy faced in getting on the team, everyone is excited to have her. Moore said, “It’s fun to have Cece’s energy and enthusiasm out there.”

Mike KalinHistory/English Teacher

Cece Duffy Breaks Football Gender Barrier

Photo Credit: Amelia Antone Photo Credit: Amelia Antone



FeaturesGirls Varsity Soccer Shines Under the Lights

George FarleyStaff Writer

Girls Varsity Soccer played the first night game in the team’s histo-ry on the Class of ‘49 Greene Field. They tied the defending New Eng-land Class A champions, Worcester Academy, 1-1 on Friday, October 5th.

The contest took place exactly 51 weeks after the Varsity Football team had its first night game on Burr Field. The bulldogs played in front of a spirited DAWG Pound fan club.

From the beginning of the game to the final whistle, the student body supported the girls with everything from chants, such as “I Believe” and “Hey Baby,” to noisemakers. Just be-fore the start of the game, the DAWG Pound stormed the field as part of its annual “Braveheart” event.

Hundreds of students gathered on Almy Field to apply blue body and facepaint, reminiscent of the Mel Gibson film Braveheart, and pre-pared to make their grand entrance. With five minutes remaining on the countdown timer, Mo Afdhal (Class II) led the charge to the sidelines. Students then packed into the side-line bleachers and continued their vocal support, also enjoying cater-

ing from local restaurant b. Good and baked goods from the Com-munity Service Board’s bake sale.

The Buildings and Grounds crew worked tirelessly in the days leading up to Friday Night Lights. They ar-ranged the eight generator-powered lights and painted the Nobles crest at both midfield and on the slope of the hill up to Castle Road. The grass was immaculately manicured and the night was clear and crisp.

From the beginning, it was ap-parent that Worcester Academy and Nobles were evenly matched. Worcester jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but both teams struggled to gain momentum. Nobles and Worcester both made promising at-tacks on the goal, but outstanding defensive teamwork prevented any additional scores before halftime.

After a brief intermission, the same pattern held through the second half. Nobles and Worcester were so evenly matched and defen-sively disciplined that another score seemed unlikely. However, as the time ticked inside of five minutes, Nobles co-captain Robyn White

(Class I) tied the game with a goal. The DAWG Pound erupted after the score, and the community seemed to hold its collective breathe in an-ticipation of a follow-up goal to seize the lead and win the game.

White’s tying goal proved to be the final one of the game. The his-toric night ended in a tie against the defending New England Class A champion. Student spirit was on par with Boys Varsity Hock-

New Teacher ProfilesRay Sun

Chinese Language Teacher

Ray Sun was born in China and lived through the 1966-76 Cultural Revolu-tion. Ms. Sun went to Nanjing College in 1979. After graduating with a major in Japanese, she immediately became a teacher due to a desperate demand for in-structors in the Chinese educational sys-tem. After training to be a teacher for a year, Ms. Sun realized that both her Japa-nese skills and her teaching skills required more work, so she moved to Japan to con-tinue her teaching career. She went to graduate school in 1989 and then came to America in 1999. She taught Japanese at Nobles for one year while also teaching at Simmons College, often driving be-tween the two schools during the day. She decided to return exclusively to the Nobles community to teach Chinese this year.

What drew you back to Nobles?

“I love the teacher-student connection. In this school, the community helps each other, and you can see it in the motto,

‘Leadership for the public good.’ It’s a unique focus for a school, and it’s what drew me back after my first year of teaching here.”

What do you love most about being a teacher?

“There is something different about be-ing a language teacher that you don’t see in any other subject. As a language teach-er, you get to teach your students about a culture. For me, teaching is not just for the language, it’s about giving students an understanding of Chinese culture.”

What has been your worst experi-ence as a teacher?

“My worst experience? I don’t have one single experience, but I hate not being able to meet with students to give them extra help. Everyone at Nobles is always so busy, and I can’t always find the time to coor-dinate with students who need help. We often just don’t have the same free time.”

Talya SokollInformation Services and Systems Librarian

Talya Sokoll was born in Israel to American parents and moved back to America shortly thereafter. She got her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Eng-lish Education at NYU and is finishing her Master’s in Library Science at Sim-mons College. She started her teaching career in New York City public schools and became a homeschool teacher when she moved back to Boston. She worked at The Winsor School for two years as a pre-professional librarian before she was hired to work at Nobles’ Putnam library.

What was your first Nobles ex-perience that made you realize you wanted to stay?

“A week before all the students got here, we had a faculty retreat. Everyone was friendly, and I could see how much they honestly loved working here. When you see faculty so happy and engaged about teaching at a school, it makes you excited to join the community yourself.”

What is your favorite part of teaching and being a librarian?

“Getting kids excited about reading. Reading has been such a large part of my life that I want to share it with others.”

What do you want students to take away from the library?

“I want them to come into the library and find what they’re interested in, with-out feeling the stress of the classroom. It’s a place to do homework but also to relax. It can truly meet everyone’s needs, and I want them to get excited about coming in.”

Nobles fans gather at Friday Night Lights (Photo Credit: Maya Getter)

Photo Credit: Amelia Antone Photo Credit: Amelia Antone

To learn about the Nobles kitchen Pulverizer, scan this QR code or visit wwwnobles.edu/news

ey’s home game against Avon Old Farms last winter and Girls Var-sity Basketball’s game against Rivers last winter, two legend-ary occasions of student support.


NewsHealth Craze Seizes Campus

Susruthi RajanalaCopy Editor

If there is one question that Nobles students ask, it’s: “where have all the muffins gone?”

The ubiquitous muffins that served as a staple – not a treat – for many students are now long gone from the Snack Bar, replaced by healthier options such as gra-nola bars, trail mix, and dried fruit. The vending machines at the MAC have seen similar changes in their offerings. With these re-cent changes, it is safe to say that the Nobles health craze has be-gun, in accordance with the new national view of mindful eating.

A midmorning snack or a quick pick-me-up before practice used to have as many calories and as much fat as a full meal. “Each of the muffins had 600 calories and around 22 grams of fat,” said Snack Bar and Bookstore Man-ager Erin Conlon. Most of the items at the Snack Bar and vend-ing machines now have, on aver-age, between 100 and 200 calories.

Nobles has shifted to a new ven-dor, Berkshire National, which has made these changes possible. The company’s policy is to “only feature products we have at home for our own families.” Berkshire Natural

also prides itself on providing re-frigerated snacks, such as hummus or string cheese, in addition to the healthier shelf-stable items such as baked chips, fruit snacks, and natu-ral energy bars. “[The company] was able to give us a wide range of options for food and drink and we tried to line that up in accordance with really good pre-practice and post-practice snacks,” said Athletic Director Alex Gallagher (N ‘90).

These changes are not limited to food alone. Sugary drinks can be as caloric as snacks and laden with high fructose corn syrup. Sports and energy drinks are especially notorious for giving a false picture of health behind their less-than-perfect nutrition labels. Gatorade and Powerade, drinks that were pre-viously available at the MAC, have been replaced with drinks such as Honest Tea, low to zero-calorie juic-es, and flavored waters. “I think kids have liked the HonestAde but have longed for Gatorade,” said Gallagher. He reports that an organic version of Gatorade will be available shortly, which may be more in line with stu-dents’ tastes. “We’re putting taste and functionality together,” he said.

This balance between popular-ity and nutrition is hard to achieve. Conlon confirmed that the Snack

Bar is “definitely less busy than when we had the muffins.” Yet, the meals at the castle have changed very little, leaving students to question why they can have fried foods or less nutritionally sound lunches at the Castle, but not muf-fins or candy at the Snack Bar.

Put simply, the answer is that the changes at the Castle have been less visible. “We’re definitely making less fried food, but we’re also try-ing healthier cooking methods like steaming and pressure cooking. The new equipment allows for these techniques,” said Matt Burek, Direc-tor of Dining Services. “At the same time we can offer a nutritionally sound meal yet the kids will head straight to the panini machine. The meals with the highest fat content have also been our most popular.”

As for the food itself, subtle changes have been taking place in the background. Very few people know that the pizza dough used, for example, is fortified with flax seed. In addition, all stocks are prepared in house to avoid the excess sodium found in canned soup base. Bever-age options at the Castle have also been improved upon, and reflect the changes made in the Snack Bar and at the vending machines in the MAC. Students can opt for 100%

juice or the Waterworks flavored water that is prepared fresh daily.

“In the end, it all comes down to the individual making the choice,” said Burek. Still, these changes are sending the right message to

students. On the Berkshire Natu-ral website, Gallagher said, “We now back up the messages we send about eating “right” with food and drink that allows [stu-dents] to accomplish that goal.”

The iPad RevolutionRachel Gardner

Copy Editor

This year, Nobles introduced iPads into the freshman class and the seventh grade. “Nobles and the Middle School are always look-ing at new technologies when they may help in the pursuit of teach-ing kids,” said the Head of the Middle School, John Gifford (N ‘86).

Currently, iPads are used in the middle school History, Science, and Latin classes, as well as in the Histo-ry of the Human Community (HHC) class, some French classes, and some Spanish classes in the Upper School.

“We went by teachers’ in-terests because we didn’t want teachers to be forced to use technology,” said Gifford.

So how do the iPads compare to laptops? They are “smaller, lighter, flatter, more collaborative, inter-

active, and the user input design is more ergonomic than it is with laptops,” said Chief Information Of-ficer Dan Weir. Gifford attested to this fact, saying iPads prevent stu-dents from having to “bury their heads in their computer.” Students and teachers can download apps on the iPads including the note-taking app GoodNotes or any text-book available as a PDF online.

To save paper, students can sub-mit papers which the teacher can review on the iPad and return. Mid-dle schoolers and freshmen can read their textbooks online. For example, the HHC class connects directly to online texts through its class website.

Teachers predict great bounds in education because of these tab-lets. Gifford said that in the future when someone is studying biol-ogy, “the idea that he or she will be

Fall Fashion Overview Lucas O’Brien

Staff Writer

The perfect outfit is hard to pull together but can go a long way in ensuring a good stride for your day. As the New York Times style writer Bill Cunningham said in his epony-mous documentary, “Fashion is the armor to survive everyday life.” Here at Nobles, the hallways can serve as runways as students adapt de-signer styles to their everyday looks.

Fall is the best season to ex-periment with your wardrobe be-cause, with the new collections from designers all over the world, there is so much inspiration. This year at both New York and Bos-ton Fashion Weeks, there were

a couple of apparent trends that encompassed many designers.

A baroque, heavily textured look with lots of applique and embroidery came about in the Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Dolce and Gabanna collections. The bold gold, black, and ivory hues came together in different combinations such as slim fitting pencil-skirts and jackets.

Marc Jacobs and Prada both had collections consisting of wild prints and textures layered on top of one another. Designer Miuccia Prada’s prints, which resemble 1970’s oil-cloth, and Marc Jacobs’ acid-drop color splashed blouses, skirts, and cropped pants all reflect a woman whose strong fashion statements

able to magnify and rotate a double helix, for example, is incredible.”

History teacher Chris Kaim-mer said, “[the iPads] naturally get kids more excited about learn-ing, and if they are a little bit more excited about history, then it is a net benefit for everyone.”

There have been some minor is-sues with the iPad revolution at Nobles. Some students, such as Nairi Brown (Class IV), have no-ticed glitches. She said that some-times her iPad fails to accept pass-words. Other students said that because the iPads don’t have the Adobe Flash Payer, some applica-tions, such as book downloads and games, don’t function properly.

“I think [the iPads] are a re-ally cool, different approach to learning,” said Brown.

define her vibrant personality. However, throughout the Sep-

tember issue of Vogue, the trend that spanned the most collections was the peplum. A peplum is a flared, gathered, or pleated strip of fabric that is attached to a shirt, blouse, or dress. This style, which was a huge trend in the 1940’s, graced the col-lections of some of the best fash-ion institutions such as Burberry, Lucky Brand, Lanvin, Jason Wu, and Dior. Young Nobles ladies wear this evolving trend. The peplum is a huge craze amongst designers, and it will likely be just as popular as the lace peasant blouses of last year.

The new facade of the Snack Bar (Photo Credit: Will Cary)

The peplum dress is one of fall’s latest trends (Graphic: Hamzat Raheem)

The last time the climate in Washington was as partisan and divisive as it is today, the Civil War broke out. The Republican House and Democratic Senate epitomize party-line gridlock. The two houses of Congress essentially act as independent entities; the House has repealed Obamacare more than two dozen times and the Senate has not passed a budget since 2008. This “do-nothing” Congress has been defined by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s famous sound bite, “our number one goal is to make Obama a one-term president.” Today’s congressmen seem to be more interested in undermining one another than accomplishing anything significant. In fact, Obama’s signature measure, the Affordable Care Act, passed on a party-line vote of 60-39. President Obama frequently uses the “do-nothing” Congress as an excuse for his failure to act to help the economy since the passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or the “stimulus.” In many ways he is justified. As the president is not an autocrat who can do as he pleases, the executive branch can only sign bills that the legislative branch passes into law. However, much of the blame for the current state of affairs can be attributed to Obama. The Southern United States seceded after Lincoln’s election because they were terrified of his anti-slavery agenda. Similarly, Obama’s far-left ideology and political origins have scared many conservative and center-right Americans, as well as their representatives. After all, much of the Tea Party caucus was sent to Washington in 2010 to put a stop to his radical agenda. To be fair, much of what Obama has actually implemented has not been extremely left wing. However, Obama’s political career began in the home of terrorist Bill Ayers, a man who has been repeatedly documented as being in favor of “spreading the wealth around” and “redistribu-tion,” and one who rode into office on a white horse sporting a grand banner of “Change.” Thus, it is evident how this could provoke a far-right response from conservatives who oppose the European-style welfare state that they believe Obama stands for. This partisanship in American politics between the left and right has defined the last two years for President Obama. However, rather than confront this issue head on during his re-election campaign and lead in a positive direction, he has embraced and exacerbated these divisions. The Obama campaign hopes that by driving enough wedges between the American people, it can capture just enough votes to hold off a strong challenge from Governor Romney. These wedges take many forms, from his endless class warfare messages of “fair share” and “those who can afford to pay a little bit more”, to the “War on Women” and the recent

video regarding the role race has to play in FEMA’s assistance after Katrina. He seeks to divide rich and poor through class warfare, pushing a tax hike that would not even come close to paying for his bloated budget and would cost America an estimated 700,000 jobs (according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses). This is in addition to his ridiculous “Buffet Rule”, which would not raise enough money to fund the Federal government for even one day. Both of these measures seek to pit the vast majority of Americans against “the rich.” Obama has also sought to divide women and men by declaring a measure proposed by Republicans that protects the religious freedoms of Americans by opposing the use of birth control as a “War on Women.” He has embraced this to the point that Sandra Fluke, a women’s rights activist, was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention. At the Convention, she relayed the perfect divide and conquer message, essen-tially saying that Mitt Romney would take away birth control and that he wants women to be subservient to men. Her message, and the idea of a “War on Women” is merely an attempt to divide Americans and appeal to the most reliable Democratic voting base: young, single women. The most important issue that has come to the forefront in recent weeks is Obama’s attempt to divide Americans racially. Joe Biden spoke to a crowd with many African-American voters and declared that Repub-licans want to “put y'all back in chains.” The Daily Caller posted a video online of Obama declaring to a crowd of black religious leaders that the Bush administration didn’t wave the Stafford Act for New Orleans because of its large number of black residents, and yet Obama refuses to rebuild “our neighborhoods,” dividing the American people once again into an “us vs. them” mentality. This mentality is a cancer in Washington today. For the last four years, it’s been “my way or the highway with President Obama.” He represents partisanship just as much as our “do-nothing” Congress, forcing his health-care bill down our throats with party-line votes. We have been most successful as a country when our two parties worked together to find common ground, whether it was President Reagan and former House Speaker Tip O’Neil in the 80’s or President Clinton and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 90’s. Mitt Romney represents a return to the bipartisan efforts of the past. He effectively

governed a state with a legislature of 87% percent Democrats and found enough common

ground to produce tremendous growth and prosperity for the Commonwealth.

Romney can do the same for this country as a whole. For President

Obama, this negative campaign plan to divide and conquer

represents a strategic error that will cost him dearly in his bid for re-election.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER: A STRATEGIC ERROR Written by George Farley

Staff Writer

Though people often consider elections in terms of the candidates and their opinions, the election itself is an interest-ing topic of research. Nobles' United States History teachers have immense knowledge that can serve to put the elections in historical context. Most elections have similar factors influencing the outcome. The most important factor candidates must consider is how they gain popular approval. The idea that candidates must gain popularity seems natural, yet this wasn’t always the case because of a law requiring people to own property if they wanted to vote. “When the property requirement ended, politi-cians began appealing to the common people,” said U.S. History teacher Doug Jankey. The upcoming election, however, possesses certain unique characteristics. For example, this election will focus on the role of government. Americans must decide between two radically different philosophies regarding the relationship between the government and the economy. There is a newfound awareness in this election that “politics and government are a complicated matter,” said

Marcela Maldonado, who has taught U.S. History at Nobles since 2000. Jankey compared this upcoming election to the 1932 presidential race between FDR and Hoover, which also dealt with the role of government in the country’s economic peril. Thus, the election can be analyzed based on the history of previous elections. “Typically the candidate who is clearly ahead in September loses popular approval in October and November,” Jankey said. Based on these statistics, Obama, ahead in September, will most likely lose the final election. Historically speaking, when “the incumbent is running with unemployment higher than 8%, the challenger typically wins,” said Maldonado. This statistic also points to Romney as the winner. However, Maldonado believes that Obama is going to win because, “for people who are disappointed about Obama, Romney isn’t necessarily the answer.” “Obama still has the inside track,” Jankey said.

ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE ELECTIONRachel Gardner

Copy Editor

Women’s issues will prove critical in this election. With Obama winning the women’s vote four years ago and Romney gaining ground among female voters with his successful debate performance on October 3, both candidates seem to be gathering a similar level of support. I will be exploring two key issues that may swerve this support either way. Easily one of the most controversial and crucial aspects of this election is healthcare. President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has proved to be important among all groups of voters, but with new women-centric provisions effected in August of this year, the bill has increased relevance for women voters. New plans must now cover mammograms (without a co-pay), well-women visits, and domestic violence screenings. The contraceptive mandate is also in effect, meaning that plans must provide coverage for all contraceptive devices approved by the FDA. Though the decisions behind the use of contraceptive are personal, providing coverage for birth control will give all women the chance to avoid preventable consequences, namely diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Governor Romney, on the other hand, will repeal this act and instead promote competition among insurance firms to offer comparable and affordable plans. Romney has not made his position on birth control clear, though it seems individual insurance compa-nies will decide the extent of their coverage. It seems naïve to think that private insurance companies, no matter how competitive, will offer full coverage for all birth control methods. Unlike Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, there is no guarantee of any preventative care. Additionally, Romney opposes funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides reproductive healthcare and maternal and child services. Planned Parenthood is a vital resource for women without health insurance that should not be cut under any circumstances.Though it is 2012, equal pay for women is still a relevant issue. Studies show that women with the same background and qualifica-tions only make 77 cents for every dollar men make. Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Lilly Ledbetter, an ex-Goodyear employee for whom the act is named, lost $200,000 in wages due to unfair pay. According to the new act, employees have 180 days after each discriminatory

paycheck to file equal-pay lawsuits, as opposed to previously, when employees had 180 days after the first discriminatory paycheck. Such salary discrepancies between men and women are wrong and harmful. Today, when women are the sole sources of income in more and more households, differences in pay “weaken families, weaken communities…weaken the entire economy.” Governor Romney is, as of now, indecisive about the Lily Ledbetter Act, though he acknowledges that equal women’s pay is an important issue. Instead, he is more focused on improving the economy to create greater hiring opportunities for women. When pressed about this issue during the second presidential debate, Romney expanded on how women’s schedules needed to be more flexible because of their role in families, but did not offer any future plans regarding equal pay. He also failed to mention that his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan, had voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Act in 2009. Throughout the remainder of his campaign as well, Romney has not mentioned any plans for future action on equal pay for women. President Obama remarked in April, “Women are not some monolithic bloc. Women are not an interest group. You shouldn’t be treated that way.” Obama has been campaigning for women’s issues since he took office, evident in that his first law passed was the Lily Ledbetter Act. Governor Romney, on the other hand, will take a laid back approach to these matters, leaving women’s issues up to states. Issues like reproductive and pay rights cannot be left for individual states to decide, because a decision would take too long. With the current healthcare and economic crises, federal action must be taken to ensure timely outcomes. While Romney points to his “binder full of women” as his commitment to equal opportunities, Obama has taken – and will continue to take – an active role in improving healthcare, work environments, and other issues. Women make up more than half this country and their votes will matter in this election. Based on the candidates’ opinions on the two issues highlighted above, as well as other related concerns such as abortion and domestic violence, women will have to make a choice between two very different ideals. The choice women make will affect them for the next four years or more

WOMEN’S ISSUES IN THE ELECTIONSusruthi Rajanala

Copy EditorOPINION

OPINION

SEE PAGE 8 FOR SOURCES

Though people often consider elections in terms of the candidates and their opinions, the election itself is an interest-ing topic of research. Nobles' United States History teachers have immense knowledge that can serve to put the elections in historical context. Most elections have similar factors influencing the outcome. The most important factor candidates must consider is how they gain popular approval. The idea that candidates must gain popularity seems natural, yet this wasn’t always the case because of a law requiring people to own property if they wanted to vote. “When the property requirement ended, politi-cians began appealing to the common people,” said U.S. History teacher Doug Jankey. The upcoming election, however, possesses certain unique characteristics. For example, this election will focus on the role of government. Americans must decide between two radically different philosophies regarding the relationship between the government and the economy. There is a newfound awareness in this election that “politics and government are a complicated matter,” said

Marcela Maldonado, who has taught U.S. History at Nobles since 2000. Jankey compared this upcoming election to the 1932 presidential race between FDR and Hoover, which also dealt with the role of government in the country’s economic peril. Thus, the election can be analyzed based on the history of previous elections. “Typically the candidate who is clearly ahead in September loses popular approval in October and November,” Jankey said. Based on these statistics, Obama, ahead in September, will most likely lose the final election. Historically speaking, when “the incumbent is running with unemployment higher than 8%, the challenger typically wins,” said Maldonado. This statistic also points to Romney as the winner. However, Maldonado believes that Obama is going to win because, “for people who are disappointed about Obama, Romney isn’t necessarily the answer.” “Obama still has the inside track,” Jankey said.

When asked why the election matters to students, Cat Dickinson (Class I) stated, “Because I live in this country.” Although economic reform and foreign policy will have a huge indirect effect on students, few issues apply specifically to youth. However, youth issues are slowly becoming more important, and the debate on student debt and contraceptives has reawak-ened in the public sphere. The two candidates have strikingly different stances on student loans. President Obama has made student loan reform one of his major issues in an attempt to garner the youth vote. This July, the president signed into law a student loan extension designed to maintain government student loans at 3.4 percent interest. The bill covers over 7.6 million students signing up for student loans this year. Earlier this year the president created a “Pay as You Earn” student loan system that, beginning in 2014, will allow for 1.6 million students to reduce their monthly student loan payments to ten percent of their disposable income. The plan will also forgive the loan balance after 20 years of payment. Finally, the plan would allow for 5.8 million students to consolidate certain loans to allow for easier payments. Mitt Romney has a less interceding position on student loans. When asked about Pell Grants, a government funded scholarship program, Governor Romney stated, "It is very tempting as a politician to say, 'You know what, I will just give you some money. The government is just going to give you some money and pay back your loans for you,’ I am not going to tell you something that is not the truth, because you know, that is just taking money from your other pocket and giving it to the other pocket." Governor Romney believes that by achieving economic security through his job plan, students would be able to get jobs and pay off their debt without direct governmental support. Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s proposed budget would cut loose about one million students from the Pell Grant program. Perhaps the largest issue specifically for high school students is availability of c o n t r a c e p t i v e s . Although

many forms of contraceptives are available in the commercial market, the only real setting outside the scrutiny of the public eye where students can receive contraceptives is at government-sponsored locations. Another contentious concern is student access to abortions. Although Mitt Romney supported legislation that would increase access to family planning services while gover-nor, he has since adopted a strong stance against government-funded contraceptives. During an interview on the Ohio News Network, Governor Romney stated he would support the ‘Blunt’ amendment, a bill that would exempt employers from providing any contraceptive service that went against their “belief and moral convictions.” In 2007, Gover-nor Romney stated on the NBC show Meet the Press, “I was always opposed to abortion, as I think almost everyone in this nation is.” However, Governor Romney also believes that abortion access should be a state issue, not a federal one, and would not mandate against abortion as president. The Patent Protection and Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as “Obamacare,” provides additional access to women’s and preventative health care services. As of August 1st, 47 million women and teenagers became eligible to receive free contraceptives, domestic violence counseling, and other forms of healthcare services. However, President Obama has expressed a desire to limit the sale of Plan B, or the morning-after pill, to teenagers. As a pro-choice candidate, President Obama believes “that government should not intrude on private family matters.” However, under the Obama Administration, abortions were not covered by the government except in the cases of “rape, incest, or where the life of the women is endangered." Most major election topics, like economic reform or foreign policy, will affect students’ parents, and therefore students. However, student debt and access to contraceptives are key issues with unique consequences for youth. When asked about youth involvement in the presidential election,

Congresswoman Jane Harman said, “we should make it easier for kids to

vote–after all, it is their future that is at stake.”

ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE ELECTIONRachel Gardner

Copy Editor

Women’s issues will prove critical in this election. With Obama winning the women’s vote four years ago and Romney gaining ground among female voters with his successful debate performance on October 3, both candidates seem to be gathering a similar level of support. I will be exploring two key issues that may swerve this support either way. Easily one of the most controversial and crucial aspects of this election is healthcare. President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has proved to be important among all groups of voters, but with new women-centric provisions effected in August of this year, the bill has increased relevance for women voters. New plans must now cover mammograms (without a co-pay), well-women visits, and domestic violence screenings. The contraceptive mandate is also in effect, meaning that plans must provide coverage for all contraceptive devices approved by the FDA. Though the decisions behind the use of contraceptive are personal, providing coverage for birth control will give all women the chance to avoid preventable consequences, namely diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Governor Romney, on the other hand, will repeal this act and instead promote competition among insurance firms to offer comparable and affordable plans. Romney has not made his position on birth control clear, though it seems individual insurance compa-nies will decide the extent of their coverage. It seems naïve to think that private insurance companies, no matter how competitive, will offer full coverage for all birth control methods. Unlike Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, there is no guarantee of any preventative care. Additionally, Romney opposes funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides reproductive healthcare and maternal and child services. Planned Parenthood is a vital resource for women without health insurance that should not be cut under any circumstances.Though it is 2012, equal pay for women is still a relevant issue. Studies show that women with the same background and qualifica-tions only make 77 cents for every dollar men make. Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Lilly Ledbetter, an ex-Goodyear employee for whom the act is named, lost $200,000 in wages due to unfair pay. According to the new act, employees have 180 days after each discriminatory

paycheck to file equal-pay lawsuits, as opposed to previously, when employees had 180 days after the first discriminatory paycheck. Such salary discrepancies between men and women are wrong and harmful. Today, when women are the sole sources of income in more and more households, differences in pay “weaken families, weaken communities…weaken the entire economy.” Governor Romney is, as of now, indecisive about the Lily Ledbetter Act, though he acknowledges that equal women’s pay is an important issue. Instead, he is more focused on improving the economy to create greater hiring opportunities for women. When pressed about this issue during the second presidential debate, Romney expanded on how women’s schedules needed to be more flexible because of their role in families, but did not offer any future plans regarding equal pay. He also failed to mention that his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan, had voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Act in 2009. Throughout the remainder of his campaign as well, Romney has not mentioned any plans for future action on equal pay for women. President Obama remarked in April, “Women are not some monolithic bloc. Women are not an interest group. You shouldn’t be treated that way.” Obama has been campaigning for women’s issues since he took office, evident in that his first law passed was the Lily Ledbetter Act. Governor Romney, on the other hand, will take a laid back approach to these matters, leaving women’s issues up to states. Issues like reproductive and pay rights cannot be left for individual states to decide, because a decision would take too long. With the current healthcare and economic crises, federal action must be taken to ensure timely outcomes. While Romney points to his “binder full of women” as his commitment to equal opportunities, Obama has taken – and will continue to take – an active role in improving healthcare, work environments, and other issues. Women make up more than half this country and their votes will matter in this election. Based on the candidates’ opinions on the two issues highlighted above, as well as other related concerns such as abortion and domestic violence, women will have to make a choice between two very different ideals. The choice women make will affect them for the next four years or more

WOMEN’S ISSUES IN THE ELECTIONSusruthi Rajanala

Copy Editor

WHY THE ELECTIONS MATTERAkshan deAlwis

Staff Writer

SEE PAGE 8 FOR SOURCES


OpinionsObama’s Economic Success, Or Lack Thereof?

While many people question the success of Obama’s economic policies, the empiri-cal statistics of his first term are comparable to the popular 1980’s Reagan era. While Obama did not adequately manage Obam-aCare or the Simpson-Bowles Commission, he has been receiving more criticism than he deserves when contextualizing the data.

Obama inherited a rapidly rising unem-ployment rate, which peaked at 10% in 2009 before returning to 7.8% today. To put these numbers in context, I decided to research how the longtime Republican favorite Ronald Reagan fared. Under Reagan, unemployment peaked at 10.8% in 1982, one year after his election, before returning to 7.5% at the end of Reagan’s first term. Under the Obama ad-ministration, the GDP has been rising at a rate equal to or greater than that of the 20

years before the 2008 housing bubble crash.Under Obama, the debt-to-GDP ratio has

been increasing at a little less than 8% per year, while it increased by a little more than 8% a year under the Reagan administration.

When looking at the statistics, it seems that the Obama administration has been getting more criticism than deserved, es-pecially by those who praise Reagan’s suc-cesses. Reagan receives many kudos today for his economic triumphs, and through this lens, Obama’s economic policies look commensurate. It is, of course, more com-

plicated than just the numbers.ObamaCare has borne the brunt

of the criticism, but we won’t know for another 20 years whether it had a positive effect on the well-being of the country. Placing ObamaCare before a heavily partisan Congress during the worst post-Depression economic crisis was badly timed and contributed to some of the di-vide that grips Washington. Still, one could argue that Obama saw an

opportunity upon which he needed to capital-ize, much like FDR’s unpopular “New Deal.”

My main issue with Obama’s economic policies concerns his handling of the Simp-son-Bowles Commission, which he initially appointed to find a way to reduce the federal deficit. The commission proposed a bipartisan compromise supporting $3 billion in spending cuts for every $1 billion in tax revenue (mostly received through tax reforms). While it’s true that the conservative delegates vetoed this plan, including Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, President Obama also did not take the necessary steps to bridge the partisan gap, es-pecially in getting his liberal colleagues to em-brace the commission’s sensible compromise.

Still, one year after his controversial eco-nomic stimulus, the private sector began cre-ating more jobs than it was losing. In terms of ObamaCare, the jury is out, but in many other aspects, it seems as though the results of Obama’s policies have been empirically homol-ogous with those of the Reagan era, but with none of the popularity nor bipartisan approval.

Obama managed to avoid a complete eco-nomic meltdown and has even helped our econ-

omy to enter a slow recovery after the larg-est crash since the Great Depression. While he has been slow in bringing improvement to the economy, it’s important to remember that he has faced a divided, uncompromis-ing Congress, as well as many obstructive members of the GOP that have limited his ability to get anything done quickly or with-out protest. Obama has had his fair share of progress, and the numbers seem to compare to those of the highly popular Reagan era. At the same time, however, he has failed in leading the liberal Democrats to compro-mise in managing the federal deficit in a bi-partisan manner. If Obama is reelected next month, he would need to set a precedent of dedication to compromise to fulfill his obliga-tions as the executive leader of our country.

Governor Romney’s cam-paign seems to be built around one core idea: as a businessman, he has the proper experience to fix the economy and put the country back on the right track.

Why should it not? Unemploy-ment continues to hover around 8%, and stagnation has become the resigned norm. Most Rom-ney supporters will tell you that President Obama has never run a business, so he has no idea how to run an economy. In short, dur-ing an economic crisis a busi-nessman is the best at the helm.

However, a business mentality in the Oval Office has rarely equaled

success. America’s greatest presi-dents have been strong political leaders, not businessmen. In fact, businessman presidents have been some of our worst presidents, while those without a snippet of business experience have been our greatest.

Maybe one of the greatest presi-dential failures was that of Her-bert Hoover. President Hoover was elected at the end of the Roaring Twenties and made millions in the mining industry. His entire election ticket rested on his business and eco-nomic background. However, faced with the Great Depression, Hoover had no solution and was quickly replaced by Franklin Roosevelt.

Warren G. Harding, a successful newspaperman, also ran on a plat-form of past business experience and conservatism. His presidency is now considered the most cor-rupt in history. The group of cronies that he appointed were known as the “Ohio Gang.” Harding’s Sec-retary of the Interior became the first cabinet member to be incar-cerated for actions while in office.

The cable network C-SPAN creat-ed a scholarly ranking of the presi-dents in 2009. Near the bottom of

this list at 36 out of 42 is George W. Bush. Boasting a degree from Har-vard Business School, he increased the debt through overseas wars and tax cuts and was unable to handle the 2008 housing market collapse.

Although Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan share little ideologi-cally, they lack the same character-istic: business experience. Out of the top ten presidents in the C-SPAN survey, nine have no formal busi-ness background. The one excep-tion is Harry S. Truman, who owned a failed hat store for two years.

History cannot tell us the future, but it can point us in the right direc-tion. Presidents must be able to lead the nation through any crisis, not

Mitt Romney’s Business Experience: A Disadvantage

http://www.ofdw.org/blog/?viewDetailed=00000http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/signed-legislationhttp://www.usgovernmentspending.com/spending_chart_2000_2012USp_12s9li011mcn_H0f_US_National_ Debt_As_Percent_Of_GDPhttp://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:USA&dl=en&hl=en&q= gdphttp://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&met_y=unemployment_ rate&idim=country:US&fdim_y=seasonality:S&dl=en&hl=en&q=unemploymenthttp://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/27/nation/la-na-patriot-act-20110527http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/the_incomplete_greatness_of_ba035754.php”http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/the_incomplete_greatness_of_ba035754.php(http://www.bewild.com) (Graphic Credit: Shepard Fairey)


Akshan deAlwisStaff Writer

Sources from page 8:“Why The Elections Matter”, deAlwis

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/ congress-passes-transportation-extension-with- student-loan-fix/http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/ 2011/10/25/we-cant-wait-obama-administra tion-lower-student-loan-payments-millions-bhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/22/mitt- romney-obama-student-loan-debt_n_1820062http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- 57388129-503544/romney-clarifies-stance- on-blunt-amendment-of-course-im-for-it/http://video.msnbc.msn.com/meet-the- press/22283961http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162- 57484277-10391704/free-contraception-for- women-provision-of-obama-health-care-law- starts-today/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/us/politics/ obama-expresses-support-for-plan-b-decision. html?_r=0http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/ 2012/01/22/statement-president-roe-v-wade- anniversaryhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/ executive-order-patient-protection-and- affordable-care-acts-consistency-with-longst

“Womens’ issues in the Election”, Rajanala

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2012/ 0825/Obama-vs.-Romney-101-5-differences- on-women-s-issues/Health-carehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/us/politics/ transcript-of-the-second-presidential-debate-in- hempstead-ny.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2012/10/16/ finally-working-women’s-issues-—-equal-pay- and-planned-parenthood/

just a single current one. To focus on one issue is danger-ous; it sets the nation up for future crises. Presidents are not CEOs who command from above with complete authority. Presidents should be well-rounded individuals who can play politics domes-tically and internationally and are able to walk onto the floor of Congress and rally a nation. Mitt Romney has many strong suits, in-cluding his centrist politi-cal background as governor and his leadership role in the 2002 Winter Olympics. However, a business back-ground is not a prerequi-site to be president, and it never will be. In some ways, as history has shown us, it may even be unfavorable.

Presidents must be able to lead the nation through any crisis, not just a single current one. To focus on one is-sue is dangerous; it sets the nation up for future

crises.

Businessman presi-dents have been some of our worst... while those without a snip-pet of business expe-rience have been our

greatest.

When looking at the statis-tics, it seems that the Obama administration has been get-ting more criticism than de-served, especially by those who

praise Reagan’s successes.

At the same time, [Obama] has failed in leading the liber-al Democrats to compromise in managing the federal def-icit in a bipartisan manner.

Check out the Noble-man’s most recent newscast with the QR code below or at www.nobles.edu/news

On November 6, incumbent Sena-tor Scott Brown will compete against Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren in an election that will help determine which party controls not only the state, but also the Senate.

Brown’s victory in the special election of 2010, following the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, was a surprise, as he was neither a Democrat nor a well-known fig-ure in politics. Though in the state legislature the Democrats have historically been the dominant party of Massachusetts, Brown was able to defeat his opponent, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and hopes to do the same this No-vember against Professor Warren.

Senator Brown’s success in Mas-sachusetts comes from his moder-ate Republican perspective, as he has declared himself to be an “inde-

pendent voice,” voting with the idea rather than with the party. A repre-sentative from the Brown campaign says that according to a Congres-sional Quarterly analysis, Brown voted with his party only 54% of the time, making him the second most bipartisan member in the Senate.

A crucial disagreement between Brown and Warren is over the econ-omy, more specifically over regu-lations for big businesses. Brown sees regulation as a major reason for the recent economic downfall, believing that Warren’s desire to introduce new bank regulations will only magnify the country’s eco-nomic problems.1 Yet Warren, who helped create the Consumer Finan-cial Protection Bureau, a financial reform agency that streamlines regulations for consumer protection against banks and credit unions, be-lieves deregulation can lead to abu-sive practices that harm ordinary Americans and small businesses.2

Other significant differences between the candidates are their views on immigration and tax in-creases. Warren supports President Obama’s DREAM Act, whereas Brown does not. Additionally, War-ren wants to extend tax cuts for the lower and middle classes, but not for those making over $250,000 a year. Brown says he will not sup-port raising taxes on anyone.3

It may seem as though the issues under debate have no effect on stu-dents: of what consequence is im-migration and national debt to stu-dents when they live at home, their parents funding the majority of their needs? Yet both Brown and War-ren touched on how our struggling economy will affect students, in particular recent college graduates.

During the candidates’ second debate on October 1st, Warren responded to a UMass-Lowell stu-dent’s concerns about finding a job after graduation by stating her goals of investing in education and in the construction of roads and bridges to ensure a job-creating environment.

According to a Brown Cam-paign representative, the Senator also realizes the accumulating debt burden that faces students and be-lieves taxes must be kept low un-til Washington spends taxpayer money more carefully. This past year, Brown passed a law that aid-

ed current students and graduates by extending low interest rates on student loans. He also introduced a bill to increase tuition transpar-ency so that students and parents know where their money is going.4

Recently, though, the election has turned negative, as the major-ity of commercials and controversy have focused more on the charac-ter of the candidates rather than on their policies. Warren’s Native American heritage has been in the spotlight because Brown says she has used the minority label to get ahead in her career. Warren de-nies receiving any sort of benefits, though Brown says she may have changed her status from “Native American” to “White” after receiv-ing tenure at Harvard University.

The issue over character ex-tended for almost a third of their

October 1 debate5, further show-ing that the election has be-come increasingly personal.

There are 33 seats up for elec-tion in the Senate this year, so the outcome of the Massachusetts vote is critical in determining which party will take control. It is unclear whether Senator Brown’s “indepen-dent voice” will again win him the vote, or if Elizabeth Warren’s poli-cies will appeal more to constituents. Though this election may not seem very consequential to a student, its outcome will certainly influence the future of this country and of the economy that will greet stu-

dents once they enter the workforce.

Works Cited:1:http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-

09-20/warren-and-brown-spare-no-attacks-in-massachusetts-senate-debate

2:http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/08/sen_scott_brown_attacks_elizab.html

3:http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/w/elizabeth_warren/index.html

4:http://www.boston.com/politicalintel-ligence/2012/10/01/live-blog-second-debate-between-senator-scott-brown-and-challenger-eliz-abeth-warren/SNm1k3ZV5WoRgaoxq0Qx4M/story.html

5 : h t t p : / / w w w . h u f f i n g t o n p o s t .com/2012/10/01/elizabeth-warren-scott-brown-debate_n_1930147.html


News

Warren and Brown Face Off Over Crucial Senate ElectionSavannah Horton

Staff Writer

Nobles’ Muslims Reflect on School ExperiencesContinued from page 1

does not ask much from so-ciety other than peace, toler-ance, and freedom of prac-tice,” Hamzat continued.

French teacher Amadou Seck believes that the key to the recep-tion of Muslim students at Nobles lies in the mission statement. “The mission of the school clearly ex-presses the interest in and impor-tance of diversity, different experi-ences, and global identity. I think the school does a very good job in opening people’s minds about what is out there, and things that people are not familiar with.”

Seck explained that Head of School Bob Henderson (N ’76) also helps make Nobles a more

accepting place. Seck said Hen-derson is “very open-minded and very knowledgeable,” and con-sistently “[encourages] people to leave their comfort zones and learn from what is different out there.”

Minorities of religion, race, or ethnicity can often feel unwelcome or unheard within a larger popula-tion, but from Seck’s perspective, this is not the case at Nobles. As the sole Muslim faculty member, he has never felt marginalized. “Nobles is a great place where any-body from any background and any origin can feel really comfortable. This is a very inclusive environ-ment, and for me in particular, I have seen a lot of acceptance, both from faculty and students, who are open-minded and actually will-

ing to learn from my experiences.”When elaborating on the re-

ality of this post-9/11 society, Seck made clear that not all people

are against Islam because of the violent events of September 2001.

However, he added, “There are a lot of people who will never forgive the religion of Islam and Muslims for what happened on 9/11. I think it is because they don’t fully under-stand exactly who those terrorists were, because if you do really un-derstand who they were, you would not associate them with the essence of what it means to be a Muslim.”

From many perspectives, the cur-riculum and programs at Nobles set up a strong nature of aware-ness, but leadership and individual initiative are the driving forces.

“As the single adult Muslim in the community, I do my best through initiatives like this one, this interview, but also whenever

I can speak in assembly to project the positive aspects of the religion and educate the community,” Seck said. He reasoned that these op-portunities are possible “because we have leaders in the commu-nity who believe in religious toler-ance, who believe in education.”

Seck discussed the disconnect be-tween anti-Islamic portrayals and true Muslims, “who are embraced by their community because they are good people and not necessar-ily terrorists calling to blow up a building. There are some Muslims from whom a lot of people can learn.” Misconceptions threaten tolerance, but as the community has shown, cultivating acceptance is not an impossible process. In Seck’s words, “Education is key.”

Brown voted with his party only 54% of the time, mak-ing him the second most bipartisan mem-ber in the Senate.

Warren wants to ex-tend tax cuts for the lower and middle classes but not for those making over

$250,000 a year.

“Nobles is a great place where anybody from any background and any origin can feel really comfort-able... Faculty and students [are] open-minded and actually willing to learn from

my experiences.”

Recently, though, the election has turned negative, as the ma-jority of commer-cials... have focused more on the charac-ter of the candidates rather than on their

policies.

ArtsPage 10 • • October 26, 2012

Fall Mainstage: The Importance of Being Earnest

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple,” says Algernon Moncrieff in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.” This fall, the Nobles Theater Col-lective is searching for the truth in society by traveling back in time.

Director Dan Halperin is taking on “Earnest” in an attempt to make it as outrageous and ridiculous as Wilde intended it to be. The show tra-ditionally has five main characters (three women and two men) who play superficial aristocrats, address-ing the downfalls of society while running about in a hilarious and complex love triangle. The humor is quick and witty, and the tone is light.

The show will be produced in the round in Vinik Theater. Risers with chairs will surround the cir-cular stage. According to Halperin, since the Vinik Theater was built in 2007, the NTC has never produced a show completely in the round.

Also, the size of the cast—nine actors—marks one of the smallest

Lucas O’BrienStaff Writer

plays ever produced at Nobles as a main-stage production. “I’ve never done anything like it,” Halperin said.

This information begs the question, “Why?”

“The Importance of Being Ear-nest” is one of the biggest titles in the theatrical world. When asked why the NTC would put on such a unique and time-specific show, Hal-perin said, “Sometimes, we want to pull out the ‘big titles.’ As the the-ater company for the Nobles com-munity, we [the NTC] try to produce a diverse range of shows. Earnest is an exciting challenge for us all.”

NTC Presents: “The Importance of Being Earnest” by, Oscar Wilde

Directed by, Dan HalperinWed 7. 6:30Thur 8. 6:30

Fri 9. 6:30Sat 10. 2:00 Matinee

Tickets available at www.nobles.edu

Student Directors Prepare for Fall PremiereLucas O’Brien

Staff Writer

With the theatrical season start-ing with the main-stage production, “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde, some may not know that there are two other produc-tions happening at the same time.

The Student Directed Plays pro-gram, which started well before Director Dan Halperin came to the school in 1999, is a chance for the-ater-captivated students to try their hand at not only directing, but also learning the ropes behind the scenes of theater and producing a show.

This fall, Diana Smith (Class I) and Emily London (Class I) are both directing shows of their own. The shows, entitled “Furry Tails With a Twist” by Jennifer Hickok Defra-tis and “No Problem” by Catherine Butterfield, each run for approxi-mately forty minutes and a half hour respectively and have their own performance dates this October.

Diana Smith (Class I) expressed great excitement about her show. Smith, who has had both acting and assistant directing experience both inside and outside of Nobles said, “I have been on the other side of the table before, and I went into this season thinking I knew what I was doing, and that was not true.”

Smith added, “It’s different go-ing from acting to assistant di-recting, and from assistant di-recting to directing; they’re just different jobs that entail dif-ferent strengths and focuses.”

The program is mainly student run, but Smith and London both stressed that they had guidance from both Nobles’ Directors Dan Halperin

and Todd Morton, who oversee their work, play selection, and casting.

While Halperin directs the main-stay, Todd Morton acts sort of like the producer, reviewing rehears-als and taking notes for the actors to work on with their casts. “Todd gives a lot of advice,” Smith said.

Student Directed Plays are cast from the same pool of students who audition for the main-stage production.

On the audition questionnaire there is a section where the ac-tor must choose whether he/she would like to be considered for both the Student Directed Plays, the main-stage or either or.

For Emily London (Class I), “It was hard trying to pick ac-tors, because Mr. Halperin has first choice.” London is excited about working with other stu-dents, but says she finds time to be her worst enemy. “Sometimes, we only have time to run lines.”

By the time performances take place on October 25 and 26, both directors have rehearsed and col-laborated with the costume and lighting departments to create an intimate night of laughter and dra-ma among friends, teachers, and family. “It’s a night where students have collaborated with other stu-dents to create one final product. It’s really really fun!” London said.

Although both directors find working with their own casts important, both see working together as another key goal.

“The strongest collaboration I have is with the other direc-tor, Emily,” Smith said. “We talk to each other a lot about how we

want to do things. We try to make our casts cohesive; one big cast.”

“It’s not crunch time yet, but when it is it’s go-ing to be crazy,” London said.

This year Nobles has two seasons of the program. Greg Swartz and Shanti Gonzales (both Class I) will be directing their own productions in the winter.

Student Directed Plays October 25th @ 6:30

and October 26th @ 5:00*No tickets required

Director Diana Smith (Class I) gives notes during rehearsal. (Photo Credit: Amelia Antone)

Director Emily London (Class I) observes her cast, Sabrina Roberts (Class II) and Ashley Allinson (Class III). (Photo Credit: Amelia Antone)

Logo Property of the NTC

Page 11 • • October 26, 2012

SportsIntroducing Fall Captains

Girls Varsity Cross CountrySavannah Horton & Caroline Monrad (Both Class I)

What’s your most embarrassing cross country memory?“When half of our team got lost on the course at Middlesex and ended up running an extra mile and a half.”

Who’s your celebrity crush?“John Daly, because of his incred-ible athletic ability”

What are you most excited about for this year?“Running ISLs at Nobles with all 40 of our girls running.”

What was your best sports mo-ment at nobles?“Braveheart.”

What is the hardest part about being captain?“Not getting passed by the rest of the team during the warmups.” What past Nobles athlete has been most influential on you as a captain?“Kerrin Smith (N ‘10), because of her energy and happiness and how nice and approachable she was.”

Besides athletics, what do you do in your free time?“...We don’t stop running.”

What’s your favorite memory of fans at your games?“When the football team showed up to our race last week. It was the first time that the fans weren’t just our parents.”

Girls Varsity SoccerRobyn White (Class I)Not interviewed: Catherine Beer (Class I)

What’s your most embarrassing soccer memory?“After winning the cow bell my sophomore year, in our victory lap where everyone gets a turn to ring the cowbell, a few of us fell, which, as you can imagine, was very un-athletic and embarrassing.”

What’s your least favorite sports team and why?“L.A Lakers. Sorry Mr. Hoe. I really don’t like Kobe Bryant, and their coach really creeps me out”

What was your best moment as a Nobles student athlete?“Scoring the heading goal to tie up the game in Friday Night Lights.”

If you could be one professional athlete who would it be and why?“Tom Brady, because he’s perfect.”

What’s your favorite memory of fans at your games?“Friday Night Lights braveheart was the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever felt and it was amazing to see the community come together to support the soccer team.”

Varsity Field HockeyKimmy Ganong (Class I)Not interviewed: Natasha Rach-lin (Class I)

Who’s your celebrity crush?“Ryan Reynolds or Ryan Lochte.”

What are you most excited about this year? “The new turf field. Most people don’t know how different a field hockey game is on turf versus grass, but as a player, it is sig-nificantly different. The ball moves faster, allowing the game to move at a faster pace.”

What is the hardest part about being a captain? “The hardest part about being captain is knowing how many people are looking up to you to do the right thing and knowing that one wrong move can put your team in a panic and you have to be there to support them, get them going again, and not let them fall.”

What past Nobles athlete has been most influential on you as a captain? “Either Alli Parent (N ‘12) or Jackie Young (N ‘10). These girls were not only tremendous athletes, but they were also amazing leaders on and off the field. They always brought enthusiasm to anything we were doing, and they always made it fun.”

If you could be one professional athlete, who would it be and why? “Each season, the captains of the field hockey team pick a quote for the season that symbolizes what we want from the team and for the

season. This year, Natasha Rachlin (Class I) and I picked a quote from Mia Hamm “light the match.” It is a reminder to all of us that we must come to practice focused and ready to play and each practice we have provides fuel for our fires and once game time comes, we light the match and play our hardest to get the win. So with that being said, I would probably want to be Mia Hamm because of her work ethic and drive.”

Varsity FootballDrew Walker (Class I)Not interviewed: George Farley (Class I) & Max Montgomery (Class II)

What’s your most embarrassing football memory?“Every time I speak in the pre-game huddle.”

What’s your least favorite sports team and why?The Ugandan national cricket team.

What are you most excited about for this year?“Beating Milton two years in a row.”

What was your best moment as a Nobles student athlete?“Beating St. George’s down in New-port under the lights with approxi-mately 5 fans in attendance.”

What is the hardest part about being a captain?“Upholding a moral standard, be-ing a good role model, and staying positive every day.”

What past Nobles athlete has been most influential on you as a captain?“Tommy Kelly (N’ 11).”

If you could be one professional athlete who would it be and why?“Tom Brady, because of Gisele.”

Besides athletics, what do you do in your free time?“I am an assistant coach for the Westwood Pop Warner B football team.” What’s your favorite memory of fans at your games?“Last year, Friday Night Lights, walking through the crowd onto the field right before the game.”

Boys Varsity SoccerHenry Bell & Jett Oristaglio (Class I)

What’s your most embarrassing soccer memory?J.O.: “Shanking a goal kick on the ground directly into an opposing team’s striker who immediately railed a shot off the cross bar... but didn’t score.”

Who’s your celebrity crush?H.B.:”Chris Calnan (Class I).”

What are you most excited about for this year?H.B.: “Flexin’.”J.O.: “Passing on the competitive tone of the team to younger play-ers… and stopping Henry from flexin’.”

If you could be one animal what would it be and why?H.B.: “I’d be a great white shark, ‘cause I am one.”

What past Nobles athlete has been most influential on you as a captain?H.B.: “Jack Vogel (N ‘12). He’s taught me a lot, and he’s the man. Thanks Yack.”J.O.: “Definitely Phil Hession (N ‘11). He is the reason that we were able to win the [ISL] champion-ship two years ago, and he set the tone for the soccer team. All of the seniors use him in some way as an inspirational figure to guide us in how we lead the team.”

Besides athletics, what do youdo in your free time?H.B.:”Track coyotes with Mark Poli (Class I).”J.O.: “Chess. All day, every day. I’m too edgy for coyote hunting.”

What’s your favorite memory of fans at your games?H.B.: “Pig pile after last year’s Brooks game when we beat them 1-0 at home. It was pretty cool.”

J.O.: “I’d say the Brooks game too. Seeing Chris Gibson (Class I) come in his first year on the team and score arguably the most important goal of our season to end Brooks’ 24 game undefeated streak was huge. The fans showing their sup-port made it an incredible experi-ence.”

Boys Cross CountryMatt DeAngelisNot interviewed: Greg Swartz (Class I) & Andrew Fai (Class II)

What’s your most embarrassing cross country memory?“Freshman year it took me over a month to figure out that the Yucels were related.”

Who’s your celebrity crush?“It’s a tie between Chad Stokes and Jack Johnson.”

What are you most excited about for this year?“ISL’s for Cross Country being at Nobles.”

What was your best moment as a Nobles student athlete?“Finishing a race after falling fresh-man year. I crossed the line covered in blood and dirt, in the rain, with a pulled quad, and even won my sprint in the last 100 meters.”

What is the hardest part about being a captain?“As a captain, you always need to be collected, no matter how stressful the situation or how awful you’re feeling on any given day, so as to keep up team morale.”

If you could be one animal what would it be and why?“I’d be a panda so people would think I’m a bear, but I’m secretly a giant chipmunk.”

What past Nobles athlete has been most influential on you as a captain?“Zach Ellison (N ‘11), because he was both one of my good friends and biggest mentors, in many fac-ets of my life.”

Besides athletics, what do you do in your free time?“I climb rocks, bake granola, and sleep in a hammock in my back-yard.”

Henry Bell (Class I) (Photo Credit Henry Dixon)

Mason PuldeStaff Writer

Caroline Monrad (Class I) (Photo Credit Peter Raymond)

Drew Walker (Class I) (Photo Credit Dave Arnold- www.DaveArnoldPhotog-raphy.com)

Catherine Beer (Class I) (Photo Credit Maya Getter)

Kimmy Ganong (Class I) (Photo Credit Lexie Brackenridge N’12)

Matt DeAngelis (Class I) (Photo Credit Henry Dixon)

The Back PagePage 12 • • October 26, 2012

Did You Know...

Darts and Laurels

That Awkward Moment When...

The Shadow: Tom Morrison

Paul Henderson (Class I) takes an hour and a half long bath every Saturday?

Sabrina Roberts (Class II) has played the character of Seaweed in “Hairspray” at her camp?

Cat Dickinson (Class I) thought Jon Bonner (Faculty) was a student when she was a freshman?

Christine Hong (Class III) has had 26 pets and has given away or killed all of them?

Sheila McElwee (Faculty) is really dedicated to rescuing chimpanzees and sponsors the chimp Conan who has had multiple vasectomies?

Laurel to JoAnn Deak for saying that we should start school an hour later.

Dart to Nobles because that will never actually happen.

Laurel to Mo Afdhal (Class II) for his amazing Mel Gibson impression during Friday Night Lights.

Dart to Mother Nature for delaying the all-school photo. Twice.

Laurel to the Castle for having a quesadilla bar.

Dart to our stomachs for not being able to handle that everyday.

Dart to the forks for never being where we think they’ll be.

Darts to Mac Porter (Class V) and Tom Morrison (Class II) for ruining every other guy’s chance at a love life

. . .someone mistakes Ann Hsu (former faculty member) for a student and starts grinding on her at the MSA dance.

. . .Mr. Bussey says, “Things are going to get nasty” at the event formerly known as the Halloween Dance.

. . .people mix up the AAC (Academic Achievement Center) and ACC (Asian Culture Club).

. . .Mr. Moore sends you an email asking why you’re not responding to his emails.

. . .you’re a cougar for Halloween.

. . .you don’t know if you got a SCRAP or not.

. . .there is an earthquake.

. . .people confuse Jordan Brown (Class I) and Omar Augustin (Class I).

. . .876 people have an appointment during long assembly.

. . .you cut teachers off on Route 128.

. . .Varsity Girls Soccer is no longer a cult.

. . .you show up to a double 40 minutes late because you thought you had lunch.

. . .you’re in middle school.

The ever-enchanting Tom Morrison (Class II). Not pictured: his tiny gui-tar. (Photo Credit: Jonathan Sands)

To learn more about the Nobles Spanish Exchange Program, follow this QR code or go to www.nobles.edu/news

Get to know the Fall Sports Cap-tains! Follow this QR code or go to www.nobles.edu/news

Tom Morrison, who recently charmed students with a humorous love song accompanied by his small guitar, al-lowed The Nobleman to follow him in his natural habitat to help the commu-nity better understand him.

6:15 a.m.: The shadow lurks in Mor-rison’s room as he dons his distressed khakis and oversized flannel shirt. Two, three, four…Flannel shirts? The shadow wonders if Tom is a hipster, or just your average homeless gentlemen by choice.

6:45 a.m.: Morrison gets a ride from his mom to Concord Center, where he meets Todd Morton (Faculty) for a ride to Nobles.

7:00 a.m.: While Morton listens to NPR, Morrison puts on his head-phones and listens to his portable com-pact disc player.

7:45 a.m.: Morrison arrives at Nobles and goes to assembly to think about his performance. He has his small gui-tar in tow.

7:58 a.m.: Morrison catches the gazes of multiple junior girls lost in his…hair.

8:08 a.m.: Morrison takes the stage to perform a love song he wrote inspired by “The Notebook”. Hearts melt.

8:25 a.m.: Morrison goes to Ms. An-derson’s first period Japanese II class to celebrate his love for Japanese culture.

He writes every character back-wards screaming, “dyslexia strikes again!”

10:36 a.m.: Tom arrives late to Conceptual Physics with Mr. Man-zo, and apologizes, saying, “I went to Japan last summer.” His class-mates are puzzled.

11:59a.m.: Upon seeing Hamzat Raheem (Class I) in the hallway sporting a fancy outfit, Tom asks, “Dooooooooooood, where’d you get that fancy outfit from? The fancy outfit store?”

1:48 p.m.: Walking through the hallways, Tom belts love songs that he wrote last night.

3:10 p.m.: At the end of the aca-demic day, Morrison hangs out in the alcoves.

3:55 p.m.: Morrison, afraid of re-gaining his baby fat, runs to the gym real quick. Then he runs back.

5:30 p.m.: Morrison goes home.

10:30 p.m.: Morrison wakes up. “Dooood, I just took a five hour nap. That five hour energy didn’t work,” he remarks.

3:30 a.m.: Morrison finishes his homework for his favorite history teacher, Mr. Jankey.

Documents

The Nobleman: October 2012