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Whether bringing out the invaluable, freshly- laundered gym towels, resetting the equipment, or working in her office, Fitness Center Manager Emma Mitchell is a widely recognized Deerfield figure and a wonderful asset to the community. Ms. Mitchell has already made a significant impact on sports teams and individuals alike by customizing workout plans for those interested in better meeting their fitness goals. “Students come to me with a range of requests,” Ms. Mitchell explained. “Some want to improve on something as specific as hockey pivots, while others are simply looking for general fitness.” Her programs offer something for everyone, which might explain why she has devised over 35 programs so far this year. “Ms. Mitchell rocks. She has helped us focus on what our sport needs,” winter diver Marina Vranos ’12 explained. “She likes short, quick, repetitive workouts, and has definitely given us a challenging, but baseline program which we will build on.” Patrick Koch ’13, who is training for hockey, noted, “I haven’t been working with Ms. Mitchell for very long, but already I’ve seen some major improvements.” Part of Ms. Mitchell’s success comes from her understanding of the hectic Deerfield lifestyle. She begins by finding out how much time each individual realistically has to devote to the gym-how many days a week and for how long-while requiring students to take time for rest. Ms. Mitchell spoke of the importance of having time off, mentioning the adverse effects that too much exercise can have on the body while also acknowledging the importance of Deerfield weekends. “Saturdays and Sundays are sacred,” she declared. “Students should be able to enjoy prep school life.” To this end, Ms. Mitchell keeps plans flexible, always happy to make adjustments with a student’s changing needs. But Ms. Mitchell also recognized the limits of her role and opts to stick with what she knows best. “I have talked about nutrition,” she acknowledged, “but I’m not a registered nutritionist. I simply discuss healthy choices, like good carbohydrates you’ll find on campus, and about protein and healthy fats.” She steers clear of the topic of weight loss altogether, focusing instead on how to be healthy. “I think the tendency here at school is for people to feel like they need to be losing weight and really that’s not the case.” Ms. Mitchell said. She instead emphasizes the importance of food for energy “whether you’re just sitting in class or have practice at the end of the day.” She explained how she prefers “to educate people on what they should eat if they want to feel healthy and content.” Ms. Mitchell concluded, “I want to help everyone feel good, whether that person is an athlete or just someone wanting to feel a bit healthier.” So far, her plans seem to be working out.

The new community-building initiatives, such as an overnight at Camp Becket along with Connect4, a corridor-based discussion program for underclassmen, have made the transition into Deerfield life easier than expected for both new and old students. On opening weekend, ninth graders departed for Camp Becket, an overnight YMCA camp located in the Berkshires. “The retreat is an immediate way to get freshmen to meet each other, and with everyone wearing the same bright green t-shirt it reminds the class that they are all here at Deerfield together,” said history teacher and member of the Residential Program Committee Rebecca Melvoin. The camp schedule included a ropes course, skits, s’mores around a campfire, and other team-building activities. “It broke up the cliquishness I imagined I would encounter and allowed me to meet day students and people I wouldn’t have met before through sports or living situations,” said Heidi Hunt ’15. However, some students feel the program could have encouraged more bonding. Kemi Akande ’15 commented, “Assigned seating might have been nice so that you felt more pressured to sit with people you didn’t know already.” Xavier Salvador ’14 shared his enthusiasm for the Connect4-spurred hall conversations. “The discussions serve as great bonding time for the hall to talk about problems together and find ways to solve them.” Despite the positive responses, the Residential Program is “still an ongoing process,” reminded Dean of Students Amie Creagh.

The Scroll is not censored in any way, shape, or form. Neither Dr. Curtis nor any other member of the administration reads any of the articles before publication, nor are they informed of the topic or content of any of these articles—unless they are quoted, in which case they are sent only their quotes to confirm accuracy. The faculty advisors to the paper have no input as to the direction or creation of any of the group editorials. These group editorials are written by the entire editorial board, which consists of the editor-in-chief, all of the page editors, the online editors, the photo editor, the graphics editor, and the editorial associates. While we are financed by the school, the administration does not exert any direct control over the articles or opinions we publish. As stated in our masthead, The Scroll encourages informed discussion of issues concerning the Academy and the world. I, along with the editorial board, believe that any newspaper has a duty to tell the truth and publish the news along with contributors’ opinions in an accurate and objective format. One responder responding to the September 9 editorial “Seniority as More Than a Hierarchy” told The Scroll that it should publish student opinions. We do. We would all love to receive more. The problem is that there are hardly any student opinions to publish—and those with opinions are frequently too afraid of their classmates to articulate them in a public forum. When we hear anyone complaining about changes in school policy or taking issue with traditions, the Opinion/Editorial editor Elizabeth Whitton ’12 and I immediately solicit articles for the paper. Unfortunately, we are usually rejected, out of the fear, laziness, or apathy that surfaces once the verbal complaining is over. Several members of the class of 2012 argued eloquently and extensively over changes to housing on our class Facebook page, but when asked to write pieces for the paper articulating their viewpoints, refused. This issue of The Scroll, and indeed the entire school, would be vastly improved with critical input of students. This is not a critical generalization of the student body. This is a challenge to students to put aside for a minute the attitude of silence and passivity fostered by an entrenched sports culture of loving Deerfield (an integral, wonderful part of our education) without questioning anything. If we actually love Deerfield, we have a duty to improve it for future generations of students and to leave the school better than it was when we found it. We will attempt to put action behind the grand rhetoric of our Mission Statement and imbue our cherished traditions with sincere meaning. I urge students, teachers, and alumni to recognize the strength in their collective action and opinion, as the student body did so successfully with its dress code petition. We are grateful for our freedom to publish student opinions. Please help us use it!

The negative responses “Seniority as More Than a Hierarchy” received from the class of 2011, amongst those of other extended community members, are due to the gross generalizing of the past senior class as well as a general tone of condescension in the end of the article. Accusing the class “collectively” of having a few lapses of good judgment neglects the involvement of other classes in drinking incidents over Long Fall Weekend in New York City and during the French trip to Quebec. The selection and emphasis of the class of 2011’s involvement in these cases is merely to make a point to the administration that the class of 2012 is opting to be better and therefore shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of the newest alumni’s choices. I can sympathize with the editorial board’s opinion and I understand from where they make their case. Last year the administration made unprecedented decisions that many felt were too intrusive and out of the jurisdiction of the deans. However, regardless of either side’s opinion, to belittle the “individual accomplishments” of the class of 2011 by juxtaposing them with what is perceived as their greatest downfall is uncalled for. Comments of “sorry for partying”and hash-tagged tweets of “#sorryimnotsorry” from members of the class of 2011 are equally uncalled for but do lend a bit of insight into the class’s mentality. The class of 2011 is proud of their achievements made on and off campus in their years at Deerfield. We made mistakes and bonded over them on our way. I never saw as many happy faces as the ones outside of Mr. Emerson’s office to admit to drinking over Long Fall, a time of high pressure with college applications. Seniors were apprehensive about their impending punishment, but were also proud of being utterly honest and amongst their friends and classmates offering and getting support. I personally cherish my attendance at the senior party in Elmore, Vermont. The memories I made there will stick with me more than many made in class, rehearsals, and meetings while at Deerfield. I’m not advocating for the drinking culture that exists in prep schools and public high schools alike, but it is important to think about what students are going to actually learn when chastised for their actions. Make the punishment severe enough and students will be even more dangerous and sneaky about drinking. Regardless of where it occurs, drinking more in shorter periods of time results in situations far more life- threatening than situations alluded to in this editorial. Individually, we all grow from mistakes we make in our lives. However, we cannot always grow from the mistakes of others. To the class of 2011: we had great times. I can confidently say that “collectively” our class has no regrets. To the classes still at Deerfield: I encourage you to ask yourselves this: Are you making decisions that you feel are right, or are you making decisions with the intent of aligning your experience with what the administration has set forth as a proper Deerfield experience? I’m confident that no matter your answer, if you stand up for your decisions and actions, you will leave Deerfield with fond memories of both the good and the bad.

New junior Ayesha Kapur ’13 has a unique talent for acting, which she developed at a young age in her home country, India. While most nine-year-old girls were busy playing with dolls and fantasizing about becoming movie stars, nine-year-old Kapur was actually cast in the Bollywood film Black, which kicked off her acting career. She worked not only with the acclaimed Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, but also with Amitabh Bachchan, who was voted “Superstar of the Millennium” in 2000 by the Indian film industry. Despite her major role, for which she won seven awards, Kapur recalled, “I was so young at the time, so I wasn’t really aware of everything that was happening.” She went on to star in two more films, Sanaa and Sikandar. The latter film was actually shot in Hindi, a challenge to Kapur, whose first language is English. Kapur admitted she was somewhat nervous on her first day of shooting, as sometimes she felt like she was “speaking gibberish.” After a handful of interviews and speeches, as well as hours on camera, Kapur realized that she has “learned how to talk to people. It’s so often in life that you go through things like that.” Although acting gave her the essential skills necessary to talk to others, Kapur mentioned that for one role, her director told her not to talk to anybody before shooting, for fear that she would “jump out of her character.” Kapur always enjoys finding her character inside of herself and explained, “I loved the feeling that I could just become somebody else through my imagination.” When asked if she noticed any differences between Bollywood films and Hollywood films, she responded, “Definitely, I do. Indian films are a lot more dramatic, American films are subtler…” Kapur admitted that she would love to try and act in a Hollywood film. Kapur knows that fame can be somewhat consuming, if one isn’t careful. “My parents were a bit afraid of it at first, because it’s such a harsh business. It’s a difficult business for kids to get into.” Fortunately, Kapur was able to remain a normal child with other interests (such as competitive horseback riding, creative writing, and travelling), good friends, and a solid education. Kapur is thrilled to be at Deerfield and explained, “My dad and three older brothers have all gone to prep school in America, and my dad always talks about how his education at Andover prepared him for everything he faced in life. I’m here because I want to learn how to learn.” This term, she is taking Advanced Acting Tutorial, and is on the technical team for the fall play, Brighton Beach Memoirs . “I love it here. I think people are so positive and so nice. And it’s not always about studying all of the time here. It’s a good mixture of both,” finished Kapur enthusiastically.

We have all been in those situations where we courageously speak up in class, but our message is not conveyed the way we imagined it would be. Those are the moments when we all wish we were better public speakers. To help overcome this obstacle, we have asked a few of the school’s experienced speakers for some tips and anecdotes. Student body president Theo Lipsky ’12 recounted his experience at the International Independent Schools Public Speaking Competition in Ottawa, Canada, last year. At the IISPSC, he was the top American speaker and was invited to compete in the World’s tournament in Australia. Before this, Lipsky admitted that he had not had much public speaking experience. He suggested, in order to become a successful public speaker, you should “write your speech as if you were going to say it.” Lipsky insists that a speech should be different from a research paper or an English journal and advised speakers never to fall into a rhythm and to vary their tone of voice. English Teacher Kimberly Wright also shared some helpful pointers. She teaches public speaking, a spring term English elective. While she admits she may not be the best public speaker, she said, “Speaking in public can make anyone nervous, but the only way to push through the fear is to actually do it.” Head of the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Michael O’Donnell has learned that an important part of public speaking is connecting with individuals and being able to read and react to the audience. According to him, “Humor is the fastest way to synchronize human emotions.” Mr. O’Donnell believes that the best way for Deerfield students to practice public speaking is to simply “take every opportunity you have” such as making announcements during sit-down dinner or participating in discussions in the classroom. Eliza Mott ’12 offers simple advice: “Believe in what you are saying. Otherwise, it’s just acting.”

W. S. Merwin, United States Poet Laureate, arrives on campus tomorrow morning to begin a two-day visit with students and faculty. Tomorrow night’s Academy Event will showcase Mr. Merwin reading his poetry, with a book signing to follow. He will speak to students in the Black Box Theater during the first class period on Thursday morning. In anticipation of his visit, all students and faculty received a copy of The Rain in the Trees, a collection of his mid-career poetry published in 1988. English teachers agreed to spend class time discussing his poetry. English Department Chair Mark Ott looked to bring to campus someone who would have an impact on students and create conversation. “[Merwin] is pushing the boundaries of language to challenge the ways we understand the world,” he said. Zoe Perot ’12, while noting the “remarkable elegance” of Mr. Merwin’s work, also mentioned his unique ability to “form clear images with his words that really stick with the reader.” After graduating from Princeton in 1948, Mr. Merwin moved to Majorca where he co-wrote a play and tutored. Publishing his first book in 1952, Mr. Merwin continued on to write 28 collections of poetry, eight works of prose, and three plays. He also edited 2 books and has translated 25 other works. A collection of 5,500 archival items and 450 books is stored in the Rare Book & Manuscript Library of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Mr. Merwin’s work focuses on the natural world and its beauty. He has been honored with many awards and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Mr. Merwin lived in France and London (where he befriended Sylvia Plath) before moving to Maui, Hawaii in 1976, where he helped replant previously destroyed tropical forests. “Those life experiences are embodied in his poetry,” said Marly Morgus ’12. “I think that it will be valuable for students to be able to listen to Merwin and learn from his appreciation for the natural world,” said Spanish teacher Cheri Karbon. “It would remind students to pause and appreciate the natural beauty of the valley, more than we do on an everyday basis.” “We’re able to make something of his visit…because…we’re reading and talking together,” said English teacher Heather Liske. “In a way, we’re tuning our ear to a sound we’ve never heard.”

The United Nations recently hosted heated debates regarding the possibility of an independent state of Palestine bordering the Jewish state of Israel. An array of emotions and opinions have unfolded over the topic. As tensions rise, many are left wondering why some countries are skeptical of granting Palestinians statehood. The problem is that the Palestinians have already been offered statehood once, and they rejected it. UN Resolution 181 in 1947, the same UN resolution that formed Israel, offered the Palestinians their own state called Palestine. Why did Palestinians reject this original Two State Solution, the same proposal they are calling for now? The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) answers in their organization charter. Article 15 of the PLO charter states that one of the main goals of the group is the elimination of Zionism. The “Zionist presence” is a common Arab euphemism for the Jewish state of Israel. In addition to originally rejecting statehood, Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the PLO and president of the Palestinian National Authority, is responsible for a collection of viciously anti-Semitic slurs against the people of Israel. In a speech commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the founding of his Fatah party, Mahmoud Abbas used verses and references from the Quran to demonize the state of Israel: “The sons of Israel are mentioned [in the Quran] as those who are corrupting humanity on Earth.” Blaming the Jewish people as the baseline of humanity’s corruption greatly mimics an ideology exercised by Adolf Hitler, who believed that the Jewish race was responsible for the vices of the world. With this history, many people, including myself, are not confident that the push for Palestinian statehood is entirely peaceful. We judge people by their actions, and the actions of the PLO, the statements of Mahmoud Abbas, and the animosity shown by Palestinians and their allies towards Israel do not set a peaceful mood or motive. In the Palestinians’ quest for statehood, the United States must be wary of their motives. Israel is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, ally we have. They give us crucial information about Middle Eastern events and are extensions of our military intelligence. If the US were to lose that alliance, our national security and strength in the war on terror would be vulnerable. After the Holocaust, many world powers promised as a global community not to allow persecution of a religious group merely because of its beliefs. This statement would be broken if Palestinian statehood was granted and their anti-Semitic goals and statements were acted upon and verified. US support should continue to be given in defense of Israel’s statehood, and as their national security becomes increasingly threatened from anti-Semitism and, potentially, the unseen consequences of Palestinian statehood, we should stand with the Israeli people.

Former headmaster Eric Widmer ’57 received the Deerfield Heritage Award today in school meeting. Before returning to Deerfield as its first alumnus to serve as headmaster, Mr. Widmer studied history at Williams College and Far Eastern Languages at Harvard and then spent a year in Taiwan on a Fulbright Fellowship. For 25 years, he served Brown University in various capacities first as a professor and then as an administrator, including dean of admissions. He mastered many languages including Russian, Chinese, and French. Charles Jones ’12, a student member of the selection committee, elaborated on Mr. Widmer’s appeal and accomplishments. “Mr. Widmer is a Deerfield icon. His experience in Jordan is not only intriguing, it is truly inspiring. With the support of King Abdullah, he crafted King’s Academy from the drawing board and he worked to impart much of what we cherish here at Deerfield on the new school and its students.” Gavin Fuller ’12, who also participated in the selection, pushed for Mr. Widmer because “the purpose of the Heritage Award is to recognize an individual who has been ‘worthy of his or her heritage.’ When reading biographies of several nominees, it was very clear to me that Mr. Widmer, among all the other nominees, has proven to be ‘worthy.’” Hadley Newton ’12, the final student member of the selection committee, also found the choice of Mr. Widmer to be obvious. “His legacy is one of compassion, community, and education. As a headmaster at home and abroad, he has led with confidence and poise.”

In light of recent events, it is even more necessary to thank the fabulous members of our physical plant. Since Irene blew through the Northeast, these amazing men and women have been working around the clock to make sure that all features of our campus are restored to their usual beauty. Everyone felt both the long- and short-term impact of the storm, but no one more than these dedicated members of the community. From clearing debris to laying sod, they have made huge improvements on the campus that was partially underwater only a few weeks ago. Our physical plant also continues to work through numerous setbacks attempting to get our playing fields in working order. Student, please understand and appreciate the amount of work that it takes for this small group to nurse our beloved campus back to health. Next time you see any of the dedicated members of the physical plant, make sure to stop and thank them for all of the work that they are doing.

Raised by a military doctor and a chef in both Germany and the foothills of the Himalayas, the new Theater Director Catriona Hynds is familiar with the boarding school lifestyle, as she was sent to a school in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 4th to 12th grade. After boarding school, Mrs. Hynds went to Glasgow University and earned a Master’s degree in English literature and theater, as well as minors in philosophy and archaeology. “I loved studying in Glasgow because it is a deeply artistic city. It has, at any given time, hundreds of cultural events happening: jazz, ballet, and opera,” she said. “So I studied in an environment that was very stimulating for me, someone who wanted to be a theater director.” After Mrs. Hynds graduated, she visited The Byre Theatre in St. Andrews to see a production of Driving Miss Daisy . She recognized that this was the theater where her career would start. She spoke to the director, who then gave her the opportunity to observe the theater as the director’s “shadow.” After a year, the Scottish Arts Council gave her a scholarship to fund her studies for a further three years. She debuted professionally in The Ride Down Mt. Morgan , by Arthur Miller. “I edited the play, with Miller’s help. That was a wonderful start to my career,” recalled Mrs. Hynds. Since then, she has worked at Queen Margaret’s College, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the New Israeli Opera House, the Houston Grand Opera (where she met her husband, Peter Hynds), the National Theatre of Iceland, Mull Theatre, and the Freed Center for the Performing Arts in Ohio. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. and Mrs. Hynds travelled extensively to places such as Iceland, Taiwan, and Thailand. “I think it is very important to travel, because it is a different kind of education. It is important that we learn to empathize with other cultures, and respect different ways of living and viewing the world. Also, from a director’s perspective, I feel that it is crucial to travel,” she explained. Mother of two, Mrs. Hynds remarked, “I chose [Deerfield] because it’s a boarding school. I feel very at home in a boarding school environment. You can sense the expectation of excellence [and] it’s very family-oriented. I also wanted to get back to doing what I think I do best—teaching and directing.”

Rebecca Wolff’s eerie new novel The Beginners centers on fifteen-year-old Ginger Pritt in the summer before her senior year. A precocious child who skipped a grade at her school in an ebbing, Salem-like New England town, she and her best friend Cherry are each at transitional points in their lives. Both Ginger and Cherry are on the verge of a sexual awakening as well as a fracturing of their relationship. Cherry begins to focus her attention on make-up, boys, and her own popularity, leaving behind conversations with Ginger about books and plans to leave their town—which everyone seems to be stuck in, like a sort of limbo—and languid afternoons playing make-believe castle at the abandoned town mill. Meanwhile Ginger, whose sexual knowledge consists of what she has learned from her boss’s porn magazines in the bathroom at her diner job, gradually becomes more and more fascinated by an attractive, sophisticated couple— new and deeply enigmatic settlers in their dull town: Racquel and Theo Motherwell. Ginger spends hours at the Motherwells’ house, with Cherry by her side at first, the two listening—Ginger rapt, Cherry distant—to Racquel’s philosophical and literary musings along with several casually explicit lectures on sex, as well as Theo’s often confounding witticisms. Racquel’s own ancestry reveals itself within the town’s spine- chilling history, as she is the direct descendent of a woman tried and killed as a witch in the infamous Salem Witch Trials. They claim to be in Ginger’s town for historical research, though as they draw her in, almost putting her in a trance, neither Ginger nor the reader knows what to believe. Ginger becomes more and more unreliable as a narrator. She recounts her dreams in detail, yet they flow from and into reality without clear distinction. Wolff uses this technique to help characterize Ginger’s newly bewitched, blurred consciousness as she begins visiting the Motherwells every day in the dwindling summer, despite their increasingly morbid activities. The narrative can often be frustrating to the reader. One can become confused, and the cryptic dreams tempt one into expectation of a dramatic, explicative climax, which ultimately fails to materialize. Wolff’s prose is mesmerizing due to its frankness and clarity, both daring to make one blush while never relinquishing one’s attention. She uses sharp imagery, making dreams of drowning, hallucinations of ghosts, and spirit-filled graveyards all too real. The past and Ginger’s town’s haunting history are truly alive in Wolff’s writing. The book as a whole is as ambiguous as Ginger’s dreams, with the secret behind the Motherwells never satisfactorily revealed. Yet this dissatisfaction is preferable, as its murkiness almost allows Beginners to be more haunting. Wolff’s first novel is a worthy read for those in need of a shadowy mystery. One wakes up from this nightmare only faintly remembering, save a few images seared into the consciousness.