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Guinean dancer, singer, and drummer Sidiki Conde, who lost the use of his legs at the age of 14 from polio, enthralled students and guests on Sunday at the second Academy Event performance of the winter. “Music and dance became his transcendence and his vocation,” says the website for Mr. Conde’s dance troupe, which performed at DA in February 2007. Dean of Students Jan Flaska called Mr. Conde’s life an “amazing story.” In Guinean tradition, disabled people are considered shameful and unlucky, so in order to protect the rest of the village and the families, they are exiled from their homes. Following his paralysis, Mr. Conde was sent deep into the forest to his grandfather’s village. Undaunted by the coming-of-age ceremony, of which young Guinean males must dance into manhood, Mr. Conde joined in the ceremony by recreating the traditional steps using his hands instead of his feet, knowing that his future in the community was at stake. Through singing and dancing, Mr. Conde reconnected to his culture. Mr. Flaska first saw Mr. Conde perform five years ago at a lacrosse camp that focused on character and motivation in addition to lacrosse. Mr. Flaska found Mr. Conde’s life story and performance so impressive that he asked him to come to Deerfield. His first performance was well-received by the student body, even without the added bonus that at the end of his performance, he announced a Head of School Day. Four-year seniors, who saw Conde as freshmen, reflected fondly upon his performances. Caroline Schurz ’10 summed up Mr. Conde’s visits: “I was mesmerized in my seat.” Former Academy Events, such as humanitarian Paul Farmer and modern-day Indiana Jones Wade Davis’s speeches, have been much calmer and quieter than Mr. Conde’s “electrifying” performance.“This performance is a lot of sound and moving around,” Mr. Flaska said excitedly. The Academy Event committee coordinates all the performances, presenting a compelling blend of culture and science and lending a new sense of perspective to students.

Dr. Elizabeth Buck, Visiting Lecturer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and parent of Emory ’11 and Kelley Buck ’13, delivered this year’s Jaffe Lecture, “Picturing Paris.” The lecture, delivered on Sunday, considered “the creation of Paris as a site of fantasy: as the city of love, the city of decadence, the city of light, the city of revolution and liberty, and the city of mass culture, of fashion and food.” Dr. Buck was approached by Fine Arts Teacher David Dickinson. Mr. Dickinson had been planning this lecture for a long time now, and he was extremely excited to learn more about Parisian culture. “This will give the community an opportunity to learn more about Paris from an expert. This opportunity does not come around very often, and I am very excited to experience it with everyone,” he said. What started out as a small talk became a lecture open to all students about the wonders of Paris in the 19th century. The presentation gave students the chance to understand the preconceptions and legends of Paris and also gave the opportunity for students to figure out for themselves whether or not these legends are true. “Paris is not actually this antiquated place that is living in the past,” said Dr. Buck, “It is subject to change as it is a modern city with modern problems. These changes can definitely be seen in the impressionist paintings of the 19th century.” The lecture Dr. Buck delivered was a condensed version of the course she teaches at UNC. She spoke about the changes that took place in Paris during the 19th century and how they affected the city. “It’s fun to look at paintings that are familiar to you while finding many aspects and details that you may not have noticed before,” said Dr. Buck. “Picturing Paris” explores the effect of major events in the 19th century, such as the French Civil War, on the artists of the time. Dr. Buck explained, “Many artists were affected by the changes made to the city in the mid-19th century such as the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and the civil war that followed.” At Deerfield, Dr. Buck’s lecture also helped students understand how the French live in comparison to Americans. “The French are very different socially than us, and it really shows in their artwork.” said Dr. Buck. Mr. Dickinson expressed his excitement over Dr. Buck sharing her knowledge with the Deerfield community. “This is just a wonderful opportunity to learn about a city that still remains a hub of interesting art and culture.” This lecture was supported by the Jaffe Lecture series. This series helps to fund presentations specifically for the Fine Arts Department, such as this one. Click thumbnail to view enlarged image

As the winter term draws to a close, the campus has turned its attention to poster boards located in the Trophy Room and Greer Store. They advertise the floor plans of the new Greer and fitness center renovations. Chief Financial Officer Joseph Manory explained that as early as the beginning of May the Greer Store will be shut down for a “demolition.” In its place a New York-style hot dog cart decorated by Mr. Dickinson’s art class will visit Albany Road to cater to student’s snack needs. Mr. Manory said, “Louis Café hours are expected to be extended further into the afternoon and evening.” Despite these compensations, there is no doubt the Greer Store will be missed, and its return will be all-the-more exciting. Deerfield Projects Manager Jeff Galli made clear just how exciting the renovation will be. Scheduled to reopen in early October, the new store will be much bigger than the existing one. While only 78 seats are currently available, the newer store will have 164. The room itself will be 4,230 sq. ft., including the new men’s and women’s rooms within. To effectively call order names in the bigger Greer, a PA system will be installed. The kitchen will also be larger. Director of Food Services Florrie Paige noted, “The service will speed up significantly, as the equipment and workspace will be much more efficient.” The new store has more to offer beyond its efficiency and greater size. According to Mr. Manory, the wood paneling on the walls will be cherry, mimicking the “feel of the Trophy Room.” The new furniture will be similar to that of the Koch Center, and new menu items such as pizza will be available. According to the architect, the new Greer will include a stage equipped with “multi-media A.V. and I.T. system.” “The plan is that a student band could come in anytime, plug in, and play,” Ms. Paige said. New room provided by upcoming “demolition” will relocate student mailboxes and introduce a multi-use room. Outfitted with its own audio-video system much like the stage, the multi-use room will most likely house Academy board meetings and may be available for extra-curricular clubs. The board originally planned the project two years ago, but halted it due to the economic downturns. With new donor interest and a drop in construction cost, the new plan “saved 25% of the original cost,” Mr. Manory said.

There are few opportunities for Deerfield’s theater students to see the work of peers at other schools. However, this April, the Acting Tutorial Class will attend the third annual Interschool Student One Act Festival. A group of theater students at Phillips Academy Andover started this day-long festival. Currently eight schools including Hotchkiss, Exeter, and St. Paul’s participate. In its first two years, the festival was held at Andover, but this year it will be at Choate for its convenient location. The festival begins with workshops on different elements of drama and theater. In the evening, each school performs a ten minute one-act play led by a student director. The focus on student involvement is what attracts Director of Acting John Reese to the festival. “Letting it be more or less student run makes it much more fun.” He also thinks that the lack of competition in the festival “fosters a nice spirit.” Camille Coppola ’10 will be leading a workshop on a concept she learned at an acting program this past summer. Despite her nervousness, Coppola said, “I’m really excited. I have wanted to teach this idea since I learned it.” In planning this year’s schedule, Mr. Reese was adamant about attending the festival. (In the past two years, it was impossible to attend due to other events.) He feels it is important for the artists to interact with other schools just as athletes do.

In mid-February of each year, the proctor selection begins. A twelve to thirteen person committee composed of students and faculty and headed by Dean of Students Toby Emerson, comes together to decide next year’s leaders for underclassmen on campus: proctors. The process is often grueling for both the committee and the juniors applying as the competition is steep and the stakes are high. Every year, about one hundred to one hundred and fifteen juniors apply for the position, and about fifty actually earn a spot. Sifting through all these qualified candidates can be difficult, especially in such a short span of time. Juniors attend a meeting in mid-February, and have until the end of the term to complete their applications. Members of the committee then read the applications over Spring Break. When classes resume, the committee gathers on three separate Wednesday nights, to discuss the cases of particular students. By April 12, all the decisions have been made. The entire process spans across only two months. Assistant Dean of Students Jan Flaska said that one of the hardest questions he had to ask himself as chair of the committee last year was, “How do we minimize the time spent on the selection process without damaging its integrity?” Last year, the committee sent out a round of emails, creating a “first cuts” of sorts, which Mr. Flaska claimed to be, “hard, but effective.” Each applying proctor meets with prospective dorm residents, trying to decide if they will be a good fit. But each dorm resident may have a different opinion as to who would make a good proctor. Assistant Dean of Students Amie Creagh, a dorm representative, said, “I am looking for someone with the ability to do one of the hardest jobs on campus. They must be able to navigate the balance between authority figure and confidante. It takes confidence, poise, inclusiveness, and the ability to find common ground with anyone you meet.” TaoTao Holmes ’10, one of three student members of the committee, echoed that she was searching for someone who had, “patience, a high tolerance level, good people skills, friendliness, efficient working and sleeping habits, and a good sense of humor.” Mr. Flaska said, “I am looking for someone demonstrating good, commendable, contributing behavior throughout his or her entire time here. I am looking for whom they have been when they thought nobody was watching.” Katie Binswanger ’11, believe the possibility of being proctor outweighs the trying selection process. Katie said, “I would absolutely love to be a proctor, because having experienced being a proctee, I really understand the role of proctorship and the qualities needed to be successful at it. Proctors have the ability to act as a ‘big sister’ on the hall to both new and old students. I would like to help make a new student’s transition into life at Deerfield as simple and fun as possible, just as my proctors did for me.” While only one third of the juniors who apply are made proctors, committee members recognize that there are many more students who are equally qualified. Mr. Flaska advised the applicants, saying, “Prepare with optimism and a willingness to serve. Understand that the decision is out of your hands. You may not get the position, but respect the decision. There are others ways to lead, if you choose. Being at Deerfield is a heck of an accomplishment in itself.”

Last year, it was a big surprise to science teacher Rich Calhoun and his wife, math teacher Kate Calhoun, that Deerfield did not have a girls’ golf team, but had two co-ed teams instead. They learned about this from Grace Murphy ’11, who lived on their hall and was trying out for the team. Upon hearing about this, the Calhouns offered to support Grace and her twin sister Caitlin Murphy ’11 in starting a girls’ team for the first time in Deerfield history. Last year, Grace and Caitlin both played on the co-ed JV golf team, but, like many female golfers, did not score low enough to beat out the guys. As a result, they were only able to practice with the team and could not compete in matches. Being unable to compete against girls’ teams at other schools is why starting this team is so important to the Murphy twins. Grace told the Calhouns about her idea and said, “Mr. Calhoun really encouraged Mr. Davis, the athletic director, to create a girls’ team. Also, Mrs. Calhoun is on the Athletic Committee, so she pushed for the idea at their meetings. Without their support none of this could have been possible.” Now, with signups occurring, they hope to get a good group of girls to fill the roster. The girls’ portion of the team will practice and play at the same course as the boys’ team, Crumpin-Fox Club, which is just over twenty minutes from our campus. They will play nine holes during practice four days a week, and on the other day they will play a match against a girls’ team from an opposing school. The schools that already have girls’ golf teams are Taft, Andover, Choate Rosemary Hall, Lawrenceville, Hotchkiss, Loomis Chaffee, Williston, and Miss Porter’s. “If all these schools can have girls’ golf teams,” Grace wondered, “why can’t Deerfield?” The current golf coaches are Nicholas Alberston (varsity) and Jeffrey Armes (jv). “Mr. Armes will be more involved in the girls’ team because we are going to be considered a jv team,” said Grace. Girls with exceptional skill, such as Izzy Marley ’11, can still be considered for varsity. Grace and Caitlin showed their interest to Mr. Davis by writing a letter to him this summer. Their letter stressed the importance of gender equality and equal opportunities for girls, and even calculated the additional costs of the team. Grace and Caitlin believe that the team will be “a great way to get more girls involved in golf at Deerfield.”

Would it be brash to suggest that a pragmatic leader in the Deerfield community ought not to attend the “Leadership Training” sessions? Perhaps not. For starters, why is it necessary to formalize so-called “leadership positions”? If Deerfield is such a prestigious institution, each and every one of its students, from freshman up to senior, should be a capable leader. It is uncalled for to specifically deem certain roles on campus “leadership” roles when students are all encouraged to be well-rounded, Renaissance men and women—the future leaders of the world. The appointed “leaders” of the school should have the skills of time management and prioritizing. By handling the demands of Deerfield, they have already displayed adeptness in these areas, and as competent young people, have already acquired so-called leadership skills. Many if not all of the most successful Deerfield leaders chose to skip the second Leadership Training meeting. After attending the first, in which a mandatory group reflection on handmade flow charts met with cynicism and silence, they chose to forgo another meeting after considering the best use of their time. Deerfield needs to trust and believe in its leaders—they are all capable of handling what they have taken on. If not, they’ll catch on fast.

Christopher Benfey, professor at Mt. Holyoke College, has received widespread praise for his book . In this scholarly piece that revolves around multiple 19th-century figures, Benfey combines an analysis of literature, art, and cultural history. Through vignettes woven together like a thick bird’s nest, the author depicts the lives of celebrated American writers, poets, and artists during and after the Civil War. The book describes how Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin Johnson Heade, among others, curiously intersect in the ever-changing American society. These renowned personalities search for love and inspiration in a post-Civil War nation, which has “left behind a static view of existence, a trust in arrangements and hierarchies, and ultimately find meaning in a world of instability and evanescence.” As the nation reshaped itself following the horrors of war, so too did Benfey’s subjects search for spiritual rebirth in their own idiosyncratic ways. The hummingbird, with its constant motion and resonating effect in nature, serves as the symbolic nexus that ties together the various characters and their shifting realities. Beecher, renowned speaker and brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, was naturally fascinated by movement and resonance. Inspired by Darwin’s theory, Beecher began to view nature’s perennial qualities as vital concepts in their own lives. He wrote, “Creation, Darwin argued, was ongoing. Life in its diversity was not fixed for all time but in flux.” Benfey notes the intersecting themes and paths of his subjects. Mark Twain prepares his by traveling the country’s riverboat system and by exploring the jungles of Central America. Martin Johnson Heade, too, sought inspiration for his paintings in the tropical countries south of the United States. His fascination with hummingbirds flourished in this region, and Heade returned to the United States to paint them. In the summer of 1882, the “Summer of Hummingbirds,” Heade traveled to Western Massachusetts with Dickinson and Beecher. During this time, Emily Dickinson wrote her signature poem, a riddle about a hummingbird, which epitomizes the attitude all of Benfey’s writers and artists on the ephemeral state of society and life. Thus Benfey, through Dickinson’s climactic poem, defined the hummingbird as the ever-changing symbol of his subjects’ lives. Benfey describes not only a symbol, but also the transformation of a country, its artists, and the metaphors that revolve around the art itself. Benfey’s depiction of the reshaping of America’s perspective on society, art and even God traces back to the movement of a hummingbird. “Human life, all life, is a route of evanescence.”

div.q{font-weight:800;} div.a{font-style:italic;} Kevin Roy ’12 from Quebec, Canada, has become a hockey sensation. Upon arriving at DA, Roy quickly established a large cult following. “Roy’s Renegades,” his unofficial fan club, wear his name on their own jerseys to the varsity hockey games. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with this young star about what life at the top is like. When did you start playing, and why did you decide on hockey? I was about three years old, and all the cool kids were doing it. How do you feel when you hear the girls cheering for you? Real good, I feel good. How is hockey different here than in Canada? Mackasey says it’s better back home. How do you style your “flow”? Well, I saw my friend John Rose and noticed his flow wasn’t that sick. So I had to beat his. My hair is modeled after Lovejoy and Doyle’s. Who is your favorite teacher? Ms. Hannay. She got mad at me once, though, for missing a meeting. What happens in your free time? I don’t have any, I’m always at the gym. What’s been the biggest change since coming to Deerfield? Going to class. What’s your favorite thing about hockey? I like to compete and try to make my team better. What do you see yourself doing in ten years? Hopefully working at Penzoil with my good friend Alan Klebanskyj. What object describes you? A right triangle. For reasons I cannot explain. Your favorite DA slang word? Money. Props to my proctor Peter Sullivan for that. If you had one superpower what would it be? To speak good English. Are you a morning person? 27 AP’s would say no… Alex Gonye wakes me up now… Do you have any signature moves on the ice? My backward sauce. It’s sweeter than Alex Ward’s. If you could change anything about Deerfield, what would it be? Coed dorms. What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your fans? Nothing, Deerfield fans are the greatest. Do you have any closing remarks? Yeah, George Wheatley is better at hockey than Jimmy Bitter.

would like to thank the members of the Grounds Crew for all of their hard work this winter. We understand that you make it possible for us to continue walking easily from class to class, dorm to Dining Hall, gym to dorm. Thank you!

, the latest novel by American writer Jayne Anne Phillips, tells the story of two siblings and the mysteries surrounding the absence of their parents. Lark, a girl on the verge of adulthood, devotes her life to nurturing and looking after her younger brother Termite, whose stunted growth and inability to speak have the Social Services constantly threatening to take him away. Nicknamed “Mite” for his small size as a baby, and then later “Termite” for his insect-like fingers that constantly feel the air, the nine-year-old boy has a keen sense of perception that allows him to communicate through sounds and touch. He senses “the warm feel of what he hears and smells next to him, of those who hold and move and touch and lift him.” With a dreamlike manner, Termite seems to observe the world with a poetic acuteness despite his disabilities. Phillips divides her narrative into four different parts, employing multiple perspectives of different characters to create overlap and to enrich the plot. Through an account of Corporal Robert Leavitt, Termite’s father, and his time stationed in South Korea during the start of the Korean War, Phillips is able to conjure the love that binds the young soldier to his wife, Lola, the absent mother of Lark and Termite. Simultaneously, Phillips interweaves Leavitt’s slow death inside a tunnel with Lola’s painful birth of her son, Termite. The other chapters focusing on Lark, Termite, and their Aunt Nonie are told from the present, a decade later, in the span of just a few days. Through a recurrent order of speakers, Phillip’s embellishes each characters personality and draws the reader in. Each sentence of the novel is filled with beautiful poetic imagery, as Phillips instills so much emotion into even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant scenes. Her vivid descriptions evoke each of the senses, as she once says Termite “can’t see the moon but he feels its wash of lighter air falling over them, safe in the bald black of the dark.” Written with such fluidity and eloquence, Phillips’ novel encompasses an almost musical quality to it. The two children live with their Aunt Nonie in the small town of Winfield, West Virginia, during the 1950s, where Nonie works at a family-run diner and Lark attends a secretarial school each night. As Lark begins to realize how limited the options are for her and Termite, odd forces of nature and the help of a few individuals steer the two siblings in a new direction when an immense flood causes them to vacate their home. Lark’s selfless disposition creates a captivating novel reminding us all of the unbreakable strength of love among a family.

Scott Brown’s upset victory over Martha Coakley in the recent Massachusetts special election came as a surprise to many who believed that the Bay State would forever vote for Democratic senators. The seat was previously held by the late Ted Kennedy, who served as senator from 1962 until his death on August 25 of last year. Beyond Democratic candidate Martha Coakley’s lackluster and perhaps overconfident campaign, the Massachusetts race is symbolic for the nationwide popular apprehension about the proposed health insurance reforms being debated in Congress. Voters from across the state voiced their concerns “that the health care bill is being ramrodded through.” One of these same voters noted that his vote for Brown was “also a statement about what I don’t want.” A growing majority of Americans are opposed to health care reform because they feel they don’t have enough information about the changes the proposed bill would entail. The implications of Brown’s Senate victory are disturbing for the nation as a whole. Exactly one year after Barack Obama was inaugurated with a mandate to strive for bipartisan cooperation, the senate has become more partisan than ever. Every vote on recent major bills has been split along party lines. Now that Democrats have lost the Senate supermajority and Republicans have a 41st vote in Scott Brown, it is almost certain that Republicans will filibuster any attempts at passing health insurance reform. Senate Republicans have decided that their role in the government will be to veto any progressive legislation that is proposed. Given their current minority, this also means that no Republican projects will be passed either. It seems as though the power to prevent legislation from being passed has surpassed the need for effective reforms. This stalemate is especially dangerous because it comes at a time when reforms are needed most. The current health care reform bill was found to reduce the ballooning budget deficit in future years. As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman writes, “Given the state of American politics, the way the Senate works is no longer consistent with a functioning government.” What can be done to put the Senate back into a position to serve the people and not their own political goals? The filibuster, which by Senate rules allows any bill to be blocked, allows senators to put their own personal or partisan goals before those of the country and even their constituency. It is a technique that has been used by Democrats and Republicans for years, more often by the party in minority. One option the Democrats have is to try to change the senate rules in order to ban the filibuster. This change, deemed the “nuclear option”, would prove difficult to effect given that 67 votes would be needed (there are currently only 59 democrats), and because the filibuster would still be fair game during the consideration of its elimination. Were they to succeed in changing the rules, Democrats could move forward without republican obstruction, and try to pass some form of health insurance reform. Hypothetically, this tactic could solve two systemic conflicts that have plagued the Government for decades (major health care reform has been attempted twice without success). But Democrats are weary about eliminating the filibuster because, come November, it may be the most valuable tool they have. The unpopularity of the current health insurance reform has slated Democrats to lose senate seats in November and the disparity between political agenda and public opinion has put health insurance reform in jeopardy. Last week, President Obama announced that he would hold a bipartisan health care summit on health care to be televised this month. “I want to come back and have a large meeting, Republicans and Democrats, to go through systematically all the best ideas that are out there and move it forward.” Sources: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/blogging-the-mass-senate-race/ http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/nytint/docs/new-york-times-cbs-news-poll-health-care-overhaul/original.pdf http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/nytint/docs/new-york-times-cbs-news-poll/original.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-state-union-address http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10769/CLASS_Additional_Information_Miller_letter.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/opinion/08krugman.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/us/politics/08webobama.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20health%20%20care&st=cse Beth, Richard S., “Entrenchment” of Senate Procedure and the “Nuclear Option” for Change: Possible Proceedings and Their Implications. March 28, 2005. http://rules.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=SenateFloorProcedures