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Deerfield offers many trips, but this year the Academy has revived the famous “Classics” trip. This year Latin teacher John Burke will lead a journey into ancient Greek and Roman history. Over eighteen days Dr. Burke and 16 students will explore parts of Europe commonly associated with the “classics.” The first half of the trip will be spent in Greece, exploring Tolo, Delphi, and Athens. For the second part of the trip the group will move to Italy and visit Naples and Rome, with a daytrip to Pompeii. The Classics trip originated in 2004 and returned in 2007, making this the third time students have had this opportunity. The trip focuses on ancient artifacts as well as history, and the group will spend most of the time at archeological sites and museums. The trip is not exclusive to Latin students, but is in fact open to all students wishing to explore ancient history. Dr. Burke explained that trip will “lend concreteness” and help students feel the “immediate reality” of the languages themselves. They will have the opportunity to see first-hand the remnants of the civilizations and languages they study. Dr. Burke hopes the trip will give his students an incentive to delve more deeply into their studies, and help them understand the scope of the Deerfield curriculum. By giving the students packets that describe the sights they will be seeing completely in Latin, Dr. Burke will ensure that the study of the language will accompany ancient history and art on the trip. From June 4 to June 21, students will explore the ancient world of the classics and have the exciting opportunity to travel across Europe and unearth history.

Despite recent major news such as WikiLeaks, bombings in Korea, and debate over tax cuts, there has been little political discussion on campus. The Scroll would like to remind everybody that although it may seem difficult to find time to read through an article, we need to stay up to date on the world outside our much spoken of “bubble,” even if it means scanning through the day’s headlines. An organized discussion of current events in the classroom would be ideal, even for five minutes once a week. Or how about a current events elective in the spring, especially for seniors who are about to venture into a greater community? If the classroom setting seems unlikely to bring up current events, why not start conversation at sit-down meals, killing two birds with one stone—providing inclusive conversation and updating each other about what’s going on in the world? Take it upon yourselves to enrich discussion and bring up any current events that cross your path.

Poignant, monumental, and restless, at age forty-seven, John Douglas Thompson is consid­ered one of the greatest actors of his generation. When English teacher Joel Thomas-Adams saw Mr. Thompson perform, he decided to contact him about coming to Deerfield. Mr. Thompson was intrigued and excited to interact with younger people. “Spending time with a sea­soned actor can yield tremendous insights about the plays that mere reading can never give,” said Mr. Thomas-Adams. Mr. Thompson’s late January visit corresponds with the entire sophomore class’s reading of Othello . Born in England with a Jamai­can background, Mr. Thompson grew up in Montreal, Canada. While at college in New York, he studied marketing and business, and then he worked as a salesman for a computer company. He started acting relatively late in life and was not even a regular playgoer, but he fell in love with theater after seeing Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson. Mesmerized and blown away by the performance, he decided at that moment that he wanted to act. When Mr. Thompson lost his job as a salesman a few years later, he saw the misfortune as an opportunity to follow his passion for acting and theater. After successfully trying out for some roles, Mr. Thompson started his formal acting training at age twenty-nine at the Trinity Repertory Conservatory in Prov­idence, Rhode Island. Involved with Shakespeare and Company, his career as an actor had begun. In 2005, Mr. Thompson de­buted on Broadway as Flavius in Julius Caesar , with Denzel Wash­ington playing the role of Brutus. Mr. Thompson starred in Shakespeare’s Othello and in Eu­gene O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones in 2009. These off-Broadway roles of Othello and Brutus Jones brought him much acclaim and established his presence in the world of acting. This past summer, he starred in Richard III and this fall, he per­formed the role of Antony in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopa­tra opposite Star Trek ’s Kate Mulgrew at the Hartford Stage, and in February he will perform Macbeth at Theatre for a New Au­dience. For his earlier role as Othel­lo, Mr. Thompson received an OBIE Award and a Lucille Lor­tel Award. He was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award and a Drama Desk Award for his per­formance in The Emperor Jones . The New York Times said of him, “There may be no better classical actor working in the New York Theatre right now.” On the opposite spectrum of acting, he has appeared on televi­sion shows such as Law & Order and Conviction . He was also in a short film called Midway and in the movie Michael Clayton . Just as Mr. Thompson saw his layoff as an opportunity to grow, his arrival to Deerfield is our opportunity to learn about the world of acting. Shakespeare has a strong pres­ence in our curriculum; however, Shakespeare’s works must be heard and seen, not only read. With greater depth, acting allows his plays to become natural and accessible to everyone. Mr. Thompson is scheduled to give a combined lecture/performance open to the entire school community in the Black Box Theater on January 20. He will conduct acting work­shops with all the sophomores during Friday’s classes.

I sat at the Tokeneke Club in Darien, Connecticut, sipping a cool iced tea and listening to a conversation between my mother and Lisa Joyce, a fellow member of the club, when my mother told Mrs. Joyce that I attend Deerfield Academy. Mrs. Joyce became excited and replied, “Why yes! I know all about Deerfield. My mother went there!” “How could her mother have attended an all-boy’s school?” I thought to myself. Deerfield had been a single-sex school from the early 20th century until the late 1980s. However, I soon came to learn a remarkable piece of our history—that all faculty children could attend Deerfield, regardless of gender, while Deerfield was an all-male school. This rule stood until 1948. Mrs. Joyce’s mother, Nancy Anne Palmer, was one of three girls to graduate from DA with the Class of 1948 – four decades before Deerfield returned to co-education. Ms. Palmer’s mother and father were members of the Deerfield faculty, as they ran the school store. She knew the Boydens well through her parents and held them in high regard. In fact, Ms. Palmer knew them so well that they held a reception for her engagement at their house after she graduated from college. She lived close to the Deerfield campus in the Sheldon Hawks House with her parents and younger brother, who went on to graduate from DA in 1953. Ms. Palmer was one of a group of five girls who attended Deerfield in her four years. Two of the girls, Dorothy Helen Grybko and Patricia Kathryn McNerney, were in Ms. Palmer’s class and graduated with her in 1948. Boys treated Ms. Palmer and the other girls kindly and with respect. “The boys were always polite to my mother,” Ms. Joyce said. “They accepted her into Deerfield life.” Nonetheless, the boys left the girls to themselves and their own activities. Therefore, the group of five stuck together, and ate their meals in a separate room from the boys. The girls could not play sports at Deerfield, but they still had quite a few options for co-curriculars. For example, Ms. Palmer acted in the school play all four years. She was also full of school spirit, and she and her friends rooted for all the athletic teams on the weekends. On the weekend, she worked every Saturday at Wilson’s Department Store in Greenfield. Ms. Palmer thrived academically, and she attended Colby Sawyer Junior College for two years in New London, New Hampshire. Early in her college career at Colby, Mr. Boyden sent her a letter for her excellent grades. She then went on to Simmons College. After finishing school, she worked at Bloomingdale’s. Ms. Palmer used her Deerfield education later in her life when she became a schoolteacher. She taught for fifteen years. Ms. Palmer valued the education she received at Deerfield more than anything, and realized how fortunate she was to attend such a prestigious school. “My mom appreciated the academic opportunities Deerfield provided for her and considered herself lucky to be there,” said Ms. Joyce. Nancy Anne Palmer’s story is a fascinating one. As one of the final girls to graduate from the school in 1948 until the late ’80s, she is quite a significant part of Deerfield’s long and impressive history. Though her experience is quite different from those of the girls who currently attend Deerfield Academy, Ms. Palmer enjoyed her experience here, and went on to live a wonderful, happy life. She married, had three children, and currently lives in Massachusetts.

As we step outside our cozy dormitories, the frosty cold comes like an omen of a lengthy winter term. Nevertheless, these winter traditions definitely will make time fly by! Cookies and Cocoa: On Fridays after school, everyone gathers in the lobby of the Main School Buildings to share warm treats. Scrumptious cookies are passed out by the Head of School Margarita Curtis, and hot cocoa and apple cider satisfy everyone’s thirst. Make sure to bring your mug! 80’s Night in the Barn: On the night of a hockey game, everyone sports neon leggings and woolly legwarmers while cheering on the team. Oh, and don’t leave your room without your headband and jean jackets! First Snow: Watch out underclassmen! Look behind you, since you don’t know when an upperclassman will knock you into the snow! No need to worry too much though, it generally happens to siblings and playful proctees. Friday Night Hockey League (FNHL): On Friday nights, friends get together and play ice hockey. Everyone plays against each other in friendly matchups, and no hockey players are allowed, so all the games will definitely be fair competition! Snack Time: After a hard day of work in classes, the dining hall is open to provide us with snacks before we head off to our co-curriculars. Bagels, cereal, hot cocoa, and desserts are to be indulged before everyone heads off to practice! Christmas Dinner: Before we head back home for the holidays, all of us enjoy an appetizing dinner, which includes beef wellington, eggnog, and the ever so sugary baked alaska! Head of School Day: Lucky for us, Head of School Margarita Curtis recognizes the seemingly endless term and rewards us with a day free of classes. Look out for this day, because it can never be predicted when it will happen! However, some old traditions won’t be returning this year. The favorite dress down Fridays are not going to take place this year, which was a sad parting for many students and faculty.

Awaiting a Sunday matinee of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice on Broadway, eager audience members form a line that stretches all the way down the block. Why all the fuss? The star of popular movies The Godfather and Scarface , Al Pacino has established himself as a talented film actor and now tries his land at live drama. Despite the title, the play focuses not on the Italian merchant, Antonio, but instead on Mr. Pacino’s character, a Jewish moneylender named Shylock. The combination of classic Shakespeare and the notorious film actor attracts many. Shylock lends money to the anti-Semitic Antonio under the condition that if he does not pay him back he must pay him with a pound of his own flesh. Antonio discriminates against Shylock, and so the moneylender decides to take revenge. Though widely considered a tragedy, the play has comedic moments involving Lily Rabe’s character, Portia, a young heiress wooed by suitors. As demanded by Portia’s late father, the suitors must pass a test of character and choose a box of lead over boxes of gold and silver. Ms. Rabe’s performance of Portia has the audience roaring with laughter, and Mr. Pacino mesmerizes the crowd with his stage presence. It certainly is a unique opportunity to see such a famous actor live on Broadway. The New York Times ‘s Ben Brantley wrote, “… The aftertaste is thrillingly sweet.” Many Deerfield students will commence studies of Shakespeare after vacation, and the community will soon enjoy a visit from Shakespearean star John Douglas Thompson. Why not begin the Shakespeare frenzy sooner by attending The Merchant of Venice ? The theater is on West 44 th Street and 8 th Avenue, and the show plays until January 9 th . Sources : http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/theater/reviews/14merchant.html?ref=theater

More than three months of the school year have already passed, and the leaves that fell during Parents’ Weekend have already turned into snow. Students are starting to wear jackets and sweaters to their classes due to the chilly weather. However, one student in particular has had to put on extra layers of clothes in order to stay warm for a winter with which he’s unfamiliar. Olaoluwakitan (Kitan) Irukera ’13 came to Deerfield from Lagos, Nigeria, in order to get a better education and explore a new culture. Remarking on his reason for coming to Deerfield, Irukera said, “Unlike Deerfield, schools in Nigeria do not allow students the freedom to take the classes that they want to be part of. The freedom that Deerfield offers its students appealed to me greatly.” According to Irukera, Nigeria’s education system is based on the British system, in which students are treated strictly and required to take the same courses as others. Although Irukera loves the education at Deerfield, he dearly misses his family in Nigeria. “Although the close friends I have made in Deerfield support me and take my family’s place to a great extent, I still miss home a lot,” said Irukera, adding with a chuckle, “However, I will not let the emotional ties with my family thwart me from getting education in Deerfield.” As an international student in a place with educational freedom, Irukera is striving to achieve success.

The reunion of upperclassmen “Bigs” with their “Littles” through Deerfield’s Big Brothers/Big Sisters program has a new addition. Now, along with the traditional BBBS activities, such as Pool Night and Game Night, Estelle Kim ’11 is leading a series of art classes, now part of the Friday evening repertoire. During this course, Bigs and Littles can select from a variety of art materials, ranging from watercolors to colored pencils, and create pieces together that reflect aspects of the BBBS program. At the end of the course, the artwork will be on display in the Hilson Gallery. Although Kim has only taught a few classes so far, she is pleased about the number of Bigs and Littles that have come. A number of factors inspired her to initiate the program, but Kim said the classes, “are a combination of a thank you to the Littles and a way to emphasize that their art should be exhibited.” Especially impressive are the collaborative projects, in which Bigs and Littles contributed to the same piece of artwork. The project attempts to “build up the confidence of the Littles and get them to recognize their own talent,” explained Kim. In the next class, Kim plans to re-emphasize the importance of creating pieces that relate to BBBS in hope of inspiring Bigs and Littles to meditate on their personal experiences in the program. Whether the Little’s are skilled in art, creative thinking, or even friendship-forming, the program will reward the Littles’ talent. Overall, Kim hopes to inspire participants to “recognize the goal of the project: to get rid of the ‘I’m-not-good-enough’ attitude, and to recognize their true potential.”

Paul Loeb, author and activist, spoke about citizen responsibility, prompting a heated discussion on climate change denial, at the first Academy Event of the school year on October 28. Introduced by Student Council President Ellie Parker ’11, Mr. Loeb addressed many pivotal questions surrounding social activism and responded to these questions with stories of the most committed and involved social activists of our time, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Rosa Parks. Mr. Loeb encouraged students and faculty to emulate these activists, to be accountable, and to speak out about controversial topics including climate change. “You really want to start now even if it is just in relatively small ways, because the more you do, the better the base you’re going to build from this point forward,” said Mr. Loeb. He provided an example by pointing to the potential conflict of interest between financial donors and a school’s institutional policy, directly referring to the donations of David Koch ’59 to the construction of Deerfield’s science center and swimming pool that bear his name. “I hope that a school who takes the money to make David Koch a lifetime trustee wouldn’t intimidate people from challenging powerful interests,” said Mr. Loeb. Mr. Loeb also questioned the interests of the school, saying, “It’s okay to take money and build a science center, but to take money and sell the soul of the school would be a tragedy.” At the end of the meeting, Head of School Margarita Curtis thanked Mr. Loeb for encouraging the students to act on their convictions, but she felt it was important to make it clear to everyone in the audience that “we are not, have never been, and will never be a donor-driven school. Deerfield receives donations from alumni and parents on both the left and the right of the political spectrum, but at no point in our history has any donor, including Mr. Koch, attempted to influence school policies or what we teach in the classroom.” Dr. Curtis underscored this idea, saying that “To suggest that this has been the case any time in the past, or that we are vulnerable to this kind of influence, is inaccurate and demonstrates a lack of understanding of the Deerfield culture and of the honorable intentions of our donors.” Mr. Loeb’s call to be persistent, ethical leaders for positive change resonated with many students and faculty. “I believe many students were moved by his message. He truly inspired us to take action instead of waiting,” said Gaelen LeMelle-Brown ’11. The question and answer session that focused on the issue of climate change demonstrated students’ awareness. Mr. Koch, who allegedly does not agree that climate change is a pressing issue and has received recent negative publicity, including a New Yorker article by Jane Mayer, was brought up as well. At the end, the speaker pointed out the need to find some base line of mutual agreement. “I was intrigued by his story about how Moveon.org and the Christian Coalition, two organizations that typically disagree, worked together to preserve Net Neutrality,” said Academy Events Chairman and math teacher Nils Ahbel. Mr. Ahbel also reflected on the importance of the Academy Events in general. “One important purpose of an Academy Event is to get our community talking about important issues. I believe Mr. Loeb was successful at doing exactly that.”

Choate Week is upon us, and this Saturday students will travel to compete in the most anticipated contests of the season. As the excitement builds, fans may wonder what our chances might be against Choate’s teams. Choate’s varsity field hockey team is 9-6, with a couple of key losses that point in the Big Green’s advantage. Their squad fell to Westminster 6-3, whereas the Deerfield girls pulled off an exciting 2-1 upset victory. Overall, the Deerfield field hockey team is 6-8, but expect a close game. The wins and losses are also similar in boys’ soccer. Although Deerfield enters with a better record (8-5-1) compared to Choate’s 7-6-1, the team is expecting quite a fight from Choate, in a game that promises to be fast- paced with lots of scoring opportunities. The Choate volleyball team is the defending New England champion, but has struggled so far. They have four losses, compared to Deerfield’s three. Last year, Choate had tremendous support from its fans, so fans this year, let’s turn it around! The Big Green girls’ soccer team enters with a record of 3-6-4, while the Choate team holds a record of 7-4-2, so expect a matchup that will need lots of fan support to sway the momentum in our direction. Deerfield football is having one of its best seasons, with a current record of 5-1. The Wild Boars are also playing well, with a 3-2 record. As always, the game will be the marquee event of the day, and our team looks to avenge last year’s loss. Both boys’ and girls’ cross-country and boys’ water polo will be competing for their respective New England titles. All three teams have high hopes for their tournaments, and although they will not be at Choate, they will certainly be looking to beat the Wild Boars. When the time comes to make the way to Choate on Saturday, make sure that you are prepared for a day of excitement, great athletics, and a lot of cheering to support our teams on their roads to victory. The games start at 10:30 a.m., and the teams are excited to see everyone bleeding green. Records as of: 11/3/10

After a term of videography and a night of The Departed and Lucky Number Slevin , the actionadventure thrillers that inspired him, Tony Andreas ’11 was eager to create and direct a film of his own, Time is Money . Every weekend this fall, a diverse mix of actors and crew members from Deerfield and Andreas’s native Northfield rehearsed. The group included Aaron Cyr-Mutty ’11, who acts in the advanced acting tutorial. According to Andreas, the editing process took up a tremendous amount of time, usually an hour per scene, but even more challenging than editing was congregating. “The hardest thing was getting everyone together at one time,” admitted Andreas. Time is Money features a gambler addicted to cocaine, a local mob hooked on gambling, and the protagonist, Aaron, whose task is to avenge the murder of his school roommate, Chris. Due to his cocaine expenditures, the late Chris owed the mob a tremendous amount of money. Consequently, the boss of the mob sends two mobsters, Aaron and Tony, to collect the cash, but the mobsters end up shooting Chris in their pursuit of the money. Aaron witnesses his friend’s murder and decides to take revenge. Action-packed scenes involving payback and blackmail make the movie gripping and intriguing. The film concludes with a surprising death, instigated by hidden greed and drug addiction, that shatters loyalty between two partners-in-crime. Andreas explored money and time and their interrelations. “Time is money,” he said, showing great understanding of two of the greatest influences on today’s society. Through themes of greed, revenge, and addiction, Andreas’ film comments on human nature as well. The production required a fall athletic exemption, as well as an independent study with videography teacher Tim Trelease. Andreas hopes that his film can be screened at local film festivals in addition to school meeting or the Widdies in the spring term.

During Long Fall Weekend, many students headed to New York City to let loose from the stress of school. While in the city, some students participated in underage drinking, and a few were sent to the hospital. Taking a break from the academic rigor and bubble-like boundaries of Deerfield is understandable. But, drinking or engaging in illegal activities, even off-campus, is not the way students should seek fun. Keep in mind that even at school, without drinking, we still have fun, and can do the same outside the school. DA to Z states, if students’ “behavior jeopardizes the welfare or reputation of the Academy, [they] may be subject to disciplinary action.” Accordingly, proctors received probation from proctor duties, but these seniors are the only group on campus who were singled out. What about the peer counselors, captains, or those in other leadership positions? Proctors were told that because they are seen as the leaders of the school who most immediately affect underclassmen, and because Mr. Emerson, in a meeting before Long Fall, reminded them of their responsibilities and his expectations that they make the right decisions during the weekend, they were held accountable for their behavior. All seniors in the beginning of the year were told, whether they had leadership titles or not, that they are all leaders the underclassmen look up to. But isn’t the fact that other seniors and titled leaders were not reprimanded a contradiction of the speech given to seniors? Whatever we may feel about this issue, as we head into Thanksgiving break, let’s learn from Long Fall Weekend. There’s no use crying over spilled vodka, but we now have a chance to rid ourselves of this “tradition” of Long Fall and a chance to change the culture of Deerfield. AYC, ES, TL, JB, CB, AS, GM, FR, AG, MM, SW, WEK