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The DeNunzio Disco is one of the most anticipated events of the school year. From the minute students step foot on campus, they hear constant talk about outfits and a buzz of excitement. As Molly Kennedy ’16 put it, “It’s a great way for the school to come together and get to know each other.” Most students recognize the lines that Studio Art teacher David Dickinson always uses at School Meeting: “So if you’re expecting to hear some of that slow-motion, romantic, ‘I see your face across the dance floor and my heart goes thumpity-thump kissy-face’ stuff, it ain’t gonna happen . . . It’s just a lot of hard-drivin’ ‘ooh ooh, baby baby’!” But many people do not know that Mr. Dickinson bought the now-famous huge neon sign himself. The original idea for the DeNunzio Disco came about one late night on the second floor of the DeNunzio dormitory, where Mr. Dickinson and French teacher Claudia Lyons were the faculty residents. “There was a fire safety light in our apartment, and the light would blink constantly at night because there was some short in the system,” Mr. Dickinson explained. “The boys would say, ‘Come on, Mr. D, we know you’re partying up there.’” Ms. Lyons recalled that certain late night in the spring of 1994: “The boys were so restless, we decided to stay up to keep them company. One boy had a suction-cup disco ball he could stick to the wall, and Mr. D, all the juniors, seniors and PGs, and I started moonwalking down the hallway at about one in the morning.” That night sparked ideas, and the next weekend the boys invited another dorm to come over. Then they decided the dance needed to be taken to a new level. “I got hold of the old school sound system,” Mr. Dickinson explained. “Mr. Skillings and I wired it up outside, had two platforms, and got a couple pieces of plywood like a dance floor. I DJed this impromptu dance. We had a turntable—a real turntable—so I was playing vinyl and cassette players.” After about 75 kids packed the courtyard of DeNunzio, the din grew until, as Mr. Dickinson said, “The cops arrived and shut us down.” “So that began the whole movement. The next year—1995—they wanted to do it in the fall, so we did the same thing again,” Mr Dickinson explained. “[But then Headmaster] Kaufmann comes running over towards the end of it, saying the neighbors are complaining. Apparently some of the local ministers wanted to go to bed around 10:30, but we [were] pumping the bass, and I said, ‘We can’t shut this down, we have a crowd of kids here.’ He had to call the cops and tell them not to show up.” That spring the Disco moved to the former science center, which had a large concrete platform with a 60-foot runway. Mr. Dickinson revealed that after the third disco, however, farmers called “because they were concerned the local cows would not produce milk the next morning.” “It’s had a pretty checkered past,” Mr. Dickinson said. “I’m glad my name’s not attached to it.” Back in its early days, the Disco would have a fashion show, a dance contest and a lip-syncing competition. For a couple of years, Mr. Dickinson would even play videos behind the DJ, but eventually he stopped doing this because it became a distraction. However, he says he’s willing to bring any of these various activities back if students are interested. Eventually, about 15 years ago, the school’s deans decided to make the DeNunzio Disco the opening dance of the year and hold it in the Kravis. “It used to take four to five hours back in the beginning [to set up],” Mr. Dickinson noted. “Now it takes 20 hours.” Ms. Lyons added, “He began setting up at 11 a.m. on Saturday and only came home for 25 minutes . . . before we both took off, because I’ve always been the chaperone. We didn’t get home until 1:30 in the morning.” Explaining Disco’s long-lived success, Mr. Dickinson said, “The calling card for the Disco is [that] we always maintain a standard with a wide range of music. The traditional Disco opens with vintage songs before transitioning to current music, then end[s] with vintage songs again. The dance always closes with Donna Summer’s ‘Last Dance.’” The most remarkable thing about the music, Mr. Dickinson said, is that “when you guys are dancing to ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees, you are dancing to a song that is almost 40 years old.” Disco costumes are often the most talked-about aspect. According to Mr. Dickinson, the attire of students has become controversial over the last 10 years. He credits this shift to “performers like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga.” “The costuming for what people think of 80s disco dress is hilarious,” Mr. Dickinson said, “[It was] bell-bottoms and big Afro hair,” Dickinson said. “That was it, not the small outfits and bright spandex.” Mr. Dickinson also shared some of his favorite Disco experiences. “We had some dynamite years in the late 90s,” he said, noting that a lot of the boys sports teams then were “heavily into Disco.” In addition to the early enthusiasm, the various competitions and prizes made it highly entertaining. Mr. Dickinson believes that the success of the DeNunzio Disco depends on the students. He concluded, “It’s not about me, it’s not about the equipment, it’s always about you guys. If you guys bring the energy, it is so much more fun. The whole idea is to get into it with a sense of humor.”

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of students waking up early to get a bite at breakfast, and we think we know why. The new yogurt and fruit bar offers us the tastiest range of tropical and citrus fruits. Its positioning in the front and center of the dining hall makes it more accessible. Now we will never forget to have our daily two servings of fruit. The new homemade granola is delicious. Breakfast options are also constantly changing, so we never get bored. In addition, the Dining Hall has rethought our daily meal plans so that we have a more balanced and healthy diet. Second, the Dining Hall is now supporting even more Deerfield and Franklin County farmers. Not only are the locally grown meals we have here delicious, but they are also benefiting our neighbors. It is gratifying to know that many of the foods we are eating are fresh and have not travelled thousands of miles to get to our plates. The Dining Hall also bleeds green, having improved its composting and food-waste reduction efforts this year. Excess food is transported to Greenfield for use at the Second Helpings program and the local Food Bank. It is great to see the Dining Hall share the food, and the love, with the larger community. The school greatly appreciates the Dining Hall crew’s effort in making our daily lives at Deerfield fuller and healthier. They remind us that especially because of the crazy pace of life here at Deerfield, we need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves and staying healthy. Here at The Scroll, we know that good food makes for happy students.

On September 2, Deerfield student leaders met for training on Sustained Dialogue. During one of the exercises, we were asked to stand on one side of the Koch Starfield if we believed there were instances of sexism at Deerfield, and the other if we did not. Interestingly, it was a pretty even split in terms of numbers, but not in terms of gender. With the exception of a handful of students—of both genders—almost all the female students agreed that there were sexist elements in the Deerfield community, whereas most of the male students stood on the other side of the Starfield. I was shocked at the gender divide in a group that had been pretty evenly distributed between the two sides for previous questions. Now, this doesn’t mean that Deerfield is a sexist community. It isn’t necessarily. The experiences of people who do not encounter sexism in the community are just as valid as the experiences of those who do. Just because one group sees an inconsistency at DA does not mean that the group that doesn’t is in any way in the wrong or at fault—I believe this is a common misconception. On the other hand, I don’t think we can ignore that there is clearly a discrepancy between the sexes in their understanding of the role that gender plays in our school. Examining this discrepancy starts with the tackling the word feminism (cue collective groan and eye-roll). I’m constantly surprised by the reaction people have to the idea of “feminism.” In the recent address given by Emma Watson to the UN, she explicitly stated that feminism does not mean man-hating. The movement, like social movements against racism and homophobia, is one that centers around the idea of equality. Feminism does not seek to put women above men. Feminism is not knocking men down, and it is not (usually) a crazy mob of hormonal women burning their bras. I don’t know if it’s the fact that the movement’s title starts with fem- or what, but somehow gender equality has acquired the stigma of being a women’s issue—something men do not have to care about, or maybe, even respect. Perhaps this then discourages women from the term. It’s understandable that labeling yourself as a feminist might not seem worth alienating yourself from male friends and peers. This, however, begs the question, why should one lead to the other? After attending a gender conference over the summer, Madisen Siegel ’17, Zakiya Newman ’17, Valentina Connell ’16, Camille Moeckel ’16 and I have started the Feminism Club at Deerfield. I can only speak for myself, but starting this club scared the hell out of me. During the first week of school I mentioned I was helping to start a feminism club; thinking I was speaking hypothetically, one of my close friends laughed, saying I would get so much **** for it. Then she realized that I was serious. This was, and continues to be, the kind of reaction that makes me nervous about pursuing this topic here. Feminism and gender equality are causes that I do believe are important and need to be talked about. But I’d be lying if I said that even writing this article didn’t make me self-consciously worried that some people’s negative associations with the word feminism might transfer to their opinion of me as a person. I’m disappointed that this thought crossed my mind. Deerfield should be a community where people can voice their opinions, regardless of whether others share them, without worrying that their reputation in the community might be changed in an undesirable way. Feminism Club is not seeking to promote emasculation, or to convert people against their will to join the movement. It’s a club that is channeled towards talking about gender equality and feminism’s place in the Deerfield community. That’s the only motivation. When we made our first announcement about Feminism Club meetings, we invited those who do not associate with the term to come to the meetings too. I want to echo this point again. If you think feminism doesn’t have a place at Deerfield, come talk about why you don’t think it does. An opinion only becomes stronger if it is challenged, and conversations between people who hold opposing views on a topic are just as valuable (if not more) than conversations between people who are in agreement with each other and want to explore each other’s reasoning more fully. Feminism isn’t a word that always gets used in a positive way at this school. I wonder though, is it the idea that turns people off? Or just the word itself? Feminism Club meets every other Thursday in the Health Issues classroom. All opinions towards feminism are valid and welcome. Above all, we invite you to take a moment to think critically about how—and why—you do or do not relate to feminism.

Dear Margo, Rita & Curtis, I don’t know what I should be for Sadies!!!! Help me!!! Sincerely, Confused and Costumeless Dearest Costumeless, Ah, Halloween, that magical made-up American holiday. When I was growing up, Halloween was a source of stress in my life because my mom not only made us make our own costumes, but always made us be something “different.” To paint a picture for you, I was supposed to be a snowflake one year, but due to the unfortunate white boa crown that was supposed to represent snow, everyone thought I was an ostrich. Picture me, a ball of white feathers, rolling up to my second-grade class, where everyone else was dressed as a princess . . . and thus my dread of Halloween began. Deerfield’s Halloween situation is no easier, because not only do you have to pull together an outfit, but you also have to match a date you don’t know the identity of. So yes, you could be suggesting being a pair of hamburgers to the coolest kid on campus, and you just don’t know. That, however, is why you have me to advise you, kind of like the fashion police, except I am not Joan Rivers (may she rest in peace): I have no real qualifications. They do this kind of thing after the Oscars, and although Sadies won’t be televised, it will be put on Facebook (which is almost more pressure). Outfits I would like to see less of: Salt and Pepper—This costume no doubt starts with someone thinking they’re super original: “Oh, salt and pepper! That’s so witty of me, I bet no one has ever done that one before!” If I see this one at Sadies, I am walking out, unless of course they are Salt-N-Pepa the rappers, then I approve completely. Playboy bunnies and Hugh Heffner—I have seen this costume done right once, and only once, and that was when the boys were the bunnies and the girl was Hugh Heffner. Other than that, tired of it. Santa/Elves—Mixing Halloween and Christmas is like mixing Skittles into your fro-yo: you want it to work so badly, but it just doesn’t. Be patient, you can be Buddy the Elf at the Christmas dance. Outfits I have no idea why no one has tried yet: George Washington and a cherry tree—Historical references are golden (especially in this town), and nothing is funnier than the 1700s. Picture yourself: full wool military jacket, pantaloons, buckled shoes and powdered wig among the spandex cat outfits everyone else will be wearing. If you don’t die of heat first, you’ll be a legend. Annie and Daddy Warbucks—If you had the opportunity to wear a bald cap, wouldn’t you take it? And if you had the opportunity to force someone to wear a curly red Afro, wouldn’t you take that too? This costume is also easily modified for larger groups. If you have more than one Sadies date, have a flock of orphans rather than just one; or have someone dress up as the dog. Olivia Benson and Ice-T—Possibly the most untapped genre of costume is that involving SVU. The combinations are endless: Benson and Stabler, Stabler and Munch, Munch and Ice-T, Stabler and his replacement Lopez. As someone who has devoted her life to watching every episode ever made, I assure you this costume is a home run. That being said, be creative and have fun with it. Also, don’t worry too much about the coordination. My freshman year, I went as an alien and my date went as a soccer player, and for some strange reason, it worked. So you just do you, and if worse comes to worst, hitting “untag” on Facebook is always a viable option. Margo, Rita & Curtis

This year marks the 25th anniversary of coeducation at Deerfield Academy-or at least the reinstitution of coeducation, after the all-boys years (1948-88). When Deerfield reopened its doors to young women, it welcomed a new and vibrant group that immediately made an impact on the Academy. According to Andrea Moorhead, former faculty member and chair of the language department, who taught French and Latin at the time, “They were dynamic, high-spirited individuals committed to living up to Deerfield ideals and bringing their very best to the classroom, the athletic field, co-curricular activities, the arts, the broad social scene of dorm and dining hall.” She added, “The Deerfield girls of the early 1990s were creative, ambitious and fearless individuals who faced many challenges on all fronts with strength and courage.” In order to thrive in this environment, the girls needed to have confidence. Current English teacher Michael Cary, dean of Admissions and Financial Aid in 1989, explained that the girls were a part of a “self-selected group,” because not just any female would be willing to accept such an important role. Mr. Cary highlighted a point that Trustee Carrie Freeman-Braddock ‘92, one of the first “Deerfield girls,” emphasized in her Convocation talk in September, saying, “[The girls] didn’t see it so much as a challenge, but as an opportunity.” Such a pivotal change, decided on by Headmaster Robert Kaufmann and the Board of Trustees, required an immense amount of planning for it to be successful. Current Math Department Chair Pamela Bonanno, then dean of students and dean of juniors and seniors, commented on Deerfield’s communal efforts to facilitate this change: “Returning students spent the [previous] year getting ready for co-education by serving on committees. Every student was offered the opportunity to be on an academic, co-curricular or student life committee alongside the faculty.” Various changes in nomenclature had to occur as well. According to an April 1989 Scroll editorial—“Names are Changing; Old Girls in ’91?”—corridor masters became faculty residents, table masters became table supervisors, waiters became servers, and the titles upperclassman and underclassman were to be forgotten altogether. Additionally, Mrs. Bonanno recalled how faculty studied recent research and hosted speakers in preparation for the 1989-90 school year and the new learning styles the girls might possess. Ultimately, though, teachers found that both genders benefited from pedadgogical changes. “By incorporating different approaches,” Mrs. Bonanno said, “faculty became better teachers and mentors to all of our students.” And the presence of two genders in the classroom, she said, made Deerfield more conducive to heightened learning. Throughout its planning year, Deerfield took into account the mistakes of other prep schools that had recently converted from being single-sex. According to Mrs. Bonanno, “Deerfield learned from them that it would be a better experience for all students if there were girls participating in all four grades.” With that in mind, unlike other schools that had only accepted girls as underclassmen, Deerfield admitted 109 girls, including 9 seniors/post-graduates (May 1989 Scroll). “It felt like a coeducational school because we had girls in all classes,” explained Mr. Cary. By adding females to every grade, Deerfield transitioned more smoothly. “It is a pity the school waited so long to join the mainstream,” Ms. Moorhead said. “But when we did go coed, we were able to avoid certain pitfalls simply because we studied the mistakes of our peer schools.” The advantages that Deerfield gained when it switched back to coeducation affected different aspects of student life, including the social and the academic. “Deerfield before co-education was losing out not only on fifty percent of the student population, but on those boys who chose not to come to an all-boys school,” said Mrs. Bonanno. “So when Deerfield made the move to return to coeducation, we were now increasing our population of male candidates along with the addition of female candidates.” Once the switch was made, Deerfield went from viewing about 600 applications to 950 applications, boasting a 55-percent enrollment yield, according to a May 1989 article by Kevin Psonak in The Scroll. Predictably, some of the male students were less optimistic about a change from the single-sex school they had applied to years before. “Certainly there were some students, a small minority, who felt like they chose an all-boys school and it wasn’t going to stay the same,” commented Ms. Bonanno. Concerns were also raised regarding the possible dwindling of athletic programs due to the decrease in male athletes. Mr. Cary said, “As I said in my remarks, there were some senior boys who formed a men’s club, because they felt that the parade was passing them by.” But the overwhelming majority embraced the adjustment and supported the girls throughout their various endeavors. Field hockey, soccer, cross-country, basketball, squash, swimming, skiing, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track were all offered to girls. Dance was also an option for both girls and boys. Among these teams was Deerfield’s first field hockey squad, coached by English teacher Karinne Heise. Now also girls varsity squash coach, Ms. Heise recalled the hard work and success of the team, saying, “The final words of the field hockey team’s pre-game cheer epitomized the spirit of those first girls on campus.” The words were: “5-4-3-2-1, coeducation has begun. We’re here to stay. We’ll show you the way! Let’s go green!” One game in particular, the team’s first win, stands out as a moment of unification to Ms. Heise: “After ending regulation play with a 0-0 tie, the game went to penalty strokes. All the other games on the Lower Level had finished, so there was a huge crowd surrounding the field; and when Heather Morgan flicked the winning stroke past the goalie, the crowd erupted and ran onto the field, joining the team in mobbing Heather—a real moment of embracing the girls as an integral part of Deerfield in its new days of glory.” Other teachers recognized this moment as well. Mr. Cary called the girls “great representatives of Deerfield.” And Mrs. Bonanno elaborated: “There was more enthusiasm than I had ever seen at Deerfield at the conclusion of an athletic contest. Everyone was screaming, hugging each other, jumping up and down. It was one of those moments when you knew that Deerfield was going to be just fine.” Mrs. Bonanno reflected that much of what was learned in the early years of coeducation is still relevant. “The advice we had for girls then is the same as we give today,” Ms. Bonanno said. “Be yourself. Learn, grow and thrive on this beautiful campus. Learn the traditions of Deerfield and build new traditions. Respect each other.” According to Ms. Moorhead, Deerfield’s change was inevitable: “American society has evolved tremendously over the past few decades. I cannot imagine Deerfield deciding not to grow, change, embrace the realities of modern society.”

This fall’s Parents Weekend—which is unusually placed on the fifth weekend of fall term—will be following a new schedule. There will still be classes, parent-teacher conferences and performances on Friday; but on Saturday, only two games will be home: JV football and boys junior A soccer. This is a peculiar situation, since parents—who come from all over the country and the world to visit their children’s classes and then watch their games—will find it more difficult to get to the games. So what happened this year? Normally, Deerfield has held Parents Weekend on the fourth weekend of the term, during which Deerfield hosts many home games. Although the fourth weekend will still be busy with home games this year, Parents Weekend had to be moved to the following week because of the late Columbus Day Weekend—always the busiest weekend of the year for the Admission Office. Amie Creagh, Dean of Students, explained, “Feeling that it would be unfair to divide our attention between parents and more than a hundred prospective families, we explored other options.” The Alumni and Development Office consulted with the Deerfield Parents Network and came to the unanimous resolution to hold Parents Weekend on the fifth weekend of the year. They correspondingly emailed parents last year. “Any time later would be too late,” said Athletic Director Chip Davis, “and any time earlier both doesn’t make sense and isn’t possible due to Admission commitments.” The seasonal schedules for sports are set one to two seasons in advance by the athletic directors of many New England prep schools. So, unfortunately, the fifth weekend was scheduled for most of Deerfield’s teams to be away. The administration initially considered the idea of providing coach buses to facilitate parent travel to games, but that was ultimately not approved. “Many parents who travel to an away game will want to leave directly from there with their son or daughter,” said Davis. “Therefore, this decision was made, because the buses were an inefficient and potentially wasteful proposition. [But] I would admit that the extra travel is inconvenient for many of our parents.” So parents have begun coordinating transportation on their own to and from these games. Ballard Brown ’16 asserted, “It is very inconvenient. Many teams are going to Exeter, and families are coming from around the world to see their kids in classes and on the field. Now, in order to do that, they have to travel a couple hours to watch a match.” Despite these setbacks, Deerfield still has numerous activities to offer on Saturday. Deerfield will be providing guided tours of the new Hess Center for the Arts, and the performing arts faculty will be offering instructional workshops and master classes for students, siblings and parents. “This is an unusual year, and it won’t happen again. However, [now] there has been some discussion about the spring Parents Weekend of 2017,” said Ms. Creagh. By planning far in advance, the Deerfield administration is aiming to eliminate situations like this.

Dear Editor, I write to elaborate on the article, “ Land Acquisitions Upset Locals ”, in the October 15 th edition of the . The Academy, like non-profits and educational institutions across the country, benefits from tax-exempt status for many of its properties. But looking at tax status alone provides an incomplete picture of the role we play in the community. In addition to voluntary financial contributions, the Academy provides significant expertise and manpower to projects throughout the town and local community—building ball fields, assisting with information technology, and even helping with construction and infrastructure work. Students engage in hundreds of community service projects each year, and employees contribute generously to local causes. The Academy, like other schools and colleges in the area, often provides matching funds to these efforts. Spending power matters too: we hire local businesses whenever we can, and much of our food comes from local sources. Like all the boarding schools and colleges in the area, we bring thousands of visitors each year, giving quite a boost to the hotels and restaurants nearby. Perhaps most importantly, with almost 400 employees, we are one of the largest employers in the area—and we strive to be exemplary in this regard, providing excellent benefits and compensation. These are all real dollars being added to the local economy. Keith C. Finan Associate Head of School for Operations & CFO Deerfield Academy 413-774-1401

In the past year, Deerfield bought two parcels of land near the school: the Williams Farm and the Thorne Estate, for $1.5 million each. Although no purpose has been designated for use of these properties yet, Deerfield expects them to become either faculty housing or alternative spaces to current playing fields. Director of Communications Mr. Thiel explained, “It’s a very typical process, not just for Deerfield, but for most independent schools. When property adjacent to campus becomes available, it seems like a wise choice to investigate. If that property has the potential to meet future needs of the Academy, whether planned or unplanned, then we often try to purchase it.” From the school’s perspective, these acquisitions are part of the long-term planning that enables Deerfield to progress as an institution. However, there are some hidden consequences to buying local property. Deerfield Academy, like most prep schools, is a non-profit organization, exempt from taxation. This special status, while beneficial for the Academy, decreases the tax base of the surrounding area. This means that the property taxes paid by the previous owners effectively come off the local tax roll. The Greenfield Recorder estimates that the buying of the Thorne Estate removed $7,153.88 from tax revenues. That doesn’t sound like much. But Deerfield already owns, according to The Recorder, $120 million of untaxable local property. At the current property tax rates, Deerfield’s bill would be as much as $1.65 million if it were a private entity. Of course, nearby Bement and Eaglebrook are also non-profits and have significant holdings, albeit smaller than Deerfield’s. The budget of the local town of Deerfield is just above $14 million. From the point of view of the town, each additional acquisition reduces the property tax base in a time of tight budgets and the need to deliver a wide array of services (some of which benefit the Academy). Day student Brian Persons ’16 noted, “The school isn’t looked so fondly upon by people in the town due to them not paying taxes on many of the things they buy. Some people see it as taking money away from the town.” A Deerfield resident vocal in local politics, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “The town opinion is not very good. There are discussions between the town and the school on the topic of expansion.” While the Deerfield town office confirmed the tax numbers, it did not comment. On the other hand, Deerfield makes an annual donation to the town of $91,000, although not required to by law. It also donates its expertise and underwrites significant projects in the community, from building a softball field for the town to the successful Big Brother Big Sister Program. Another resident noted that even though the school and town share a tenuous relationship, “We are good neighbors. We get along well, we share facilities, the school helps us.” Addressing the potentially conflicting interests of fiduciary responsibility and accountability to the local community seems an issue needing Deerfield’s continued exploration and attention.

Upon returning to Deerfield this fall, students have observed a new strictness permeating the campus. It is evident to many students and faculty that the administration has become more stringent in adhering to the Academy’s code of conduct, especially at required school events. During the 2013-14 year, School Meeting had a more relaxed atmosphere: students could eat snacks from the Greer, sit on the West Gym floor and discreetly glance at their cellphones undetected by faculty. This year, however, none of this is possible. As Alan Lam ’15 observed, “I have noticed, more so than in the past, faculty reminding students not to use cell phones during School Meeting.” This transformation has not been restricted to the weekly all-school gathering. Many other school rules have been strongly reinforced, and new, stricter rules have been put in place. Mobile phones are now officially prohibited in the Dining Hall, teachers have been more vocal about dress code violations, and attendance at required events has been stressed. Kate Palmer ’16 said that she has “observed many students being spoken to regarding outfits that do not comply with the requirements of dress code.” This change has ignited discussion regarding whether there is a correlation between the No-AP trial last spring and the current implementation of rules. During last year’s four-week trial, Accountability Points were not given to students for missed commitments and/or classes. The community saw a sharp decline in attendance at School Meeting, sit-down meals and academic classes. Many people have questioned whether the newly implemented strict rules are an attempt to “undo” the relaxed nature the No-AP trial brought to the school. Both Dean of Students Amie Creagh and Assistant Dean of Students Kevin Kelly have confirmed that there is no connection between the result of the No-AP trial and the new rules. They both say that there has not been an increase in strictness, but a return to the values that define Deerfield. This, in turn, correlates to the faculty being more aware of the various rules on campus and their enforcement of them. Ms. Creagh said that this new attitude began at the faculty meeting last spring when Head of School Margarita Curtis and Associate Head of School John Taylor posed the question “What are some daily practices that we are good at that are connected to core school values, and what are some areas where we can commit ourselves to being better?” The general consensus, Ms. Creagh affirmed, was that, as a school, Deerfield has a set of core values and traditions, including, but not limited to, School Meeting attendance, the cell phone policy and dress code, which were not being enforced. According to Ms. Creagh, Deerfield is now in the process of returning to the distinct practices that define the school, and Ms. Creagh believes this shift that the students have seen is a “roll out of an all-hands-on-deck agreement that this is something we say we do and we should actually do.”

For Commencement, girls wore cute, playful white dresses while boys wore serious, dark coats and ties. During the DeNunzio Disco, girls felt humiliated undergoing “spandex checks” by faculty while boys were not reprimanded for taking off their shirts. Girls here constantly have to worry about how their clothes will make them look in the eyes of faculty and other students while boys easily look classy and professional. The Deerfield dress code is obviously sexist by sexism’s simplest definition: it discriminates on the basis of gender. Of course, “simple” isn’t going to cut it in this world of complexity. But there has to be something wrong with a code of conduct that is so easy for one group to follow but makes things a lot harder for the other. In the prep school world, one of the many things that stands out about Deerfield is its boys dress code—strict, clean-cut, and professional: a “sport-coat, tie, and a collared shirt–tucked in.” This leaves boys room to have some fun with colors and prints, but does not leave them room to stray far from properness. The boys dress code is well thought-out— tradition passed down from generations of successful Deerfield men and boys. And, to be honest, what do guys end up getting dress-coded for? Trying to get away without wearing a coat or a tie? And then there is the girls dress code. We’re in Deerfield’s 25th year of coeducation, and the dress code still hints that girl students were an afterthought, not as important as boys. The girls dress code is loose and does not set up the standards of seriousness as the boys code does. Instead, it tells girls what they should cover up: legs, shoulders and necklines. We all have legs, shoulders and necklines, but our culture—the one beyond Deerfield—hypersexualizes these body parts on girls. Hypersexualization, in this instance, is the act of making things that aren’t sexual appear more sexual than they should be. Schools around the country with casual dress codes won’t allow girls to show these parts, not because they are trying to uphold a certain standard of professionalism, but because they have the ridiculous (and also heteronormative) idea that girls will “distract the boys,” as if catering to boys’ needs is more important than girls’—as if girls are not boys’ colleagues, but rather objects of sexualization. So when Deerfield Rules and Regulations say, “Don’t show this, don’t show that, cover that up, or you won’t be respected,” it shames girls’ bodies. There should be a better way to describe what girls should wear—one that encourages a certain dress, as the boys does— rather than tells girls what to hide. Deerfield should strictly define what they want girls to wear, and how they expect girls to look professional. This means stricter rules. It means rewriting the dress code after a serious and open discussion on how boys and girls are viewed in this community. It does not mean more strictly enforcing a current dress code that is wrong. And it definitely does not mean shaming girls for making mistakes when trying to adhere to the dress code. When girls dress, they are forced to think about so many different things: following the rules, current fashions (which are often sexualizing, for so many clothes are short or tight), fitting in, standing out, how their dress reveals socioeconomic standing . . . so making comments on their dress only adds another layer of worry when they could be focusing on other, more important things. So next time you want to make a snide and unhelpful remark on how short a girl’s dress is, why don’t you channel your energy into contacting administration and asking why it neglects girls and deprives them of clear-cut guidelines on professional dress that it so obviously provides to boys?

On Sunday, September 14, the Deerfield Community held the annual Dorm Olympics, but this year there was a change. The faculty, staff, students and other members of the Deerfield community participated in a Guinness Book of World Records-breaking water balloon toss. Signe Ahl ’15, the chief organizer, recalled, “Last year in the beginning of February, I was watching the news, and I saw a community of people breaking a world record on mini trampolines. It occurred to me that there must be a record we could feasibly break at Deerfield. I went on the website, and the balloon toss was the most realistic. I then filled out the application.” It took over six months to organize the balloon toss and raise over $14,000, half of which was donated to the Posse Foundation, which provides college scholarship money to qualified students. Ahl, who worked at the Posse Foundation over the summer, described the balloon toss as “the perfect way to bring together two extraordinary communities.” “I was working with the president and founder of Posse, Debbie Bial, and her team in the national headquarters in New York City,”Ahl explained. “I met with them over spring break junior year on Wall Street to update them on exciting developments with the project. Their support made all the difference because they can relate to the difficulty of putting a large-scale event together and raising money to make it happen.” The organizing committee—Catherine Fleming ’15, Lucy Baldwin ’15, Zeke Emerson ’16, Gavin Kennedy ’16, Kate Palmer ’16, Serena Ainslie ’16, and Arianne Evans ’16— began fundraising last spring, reaching out to the community for donations. “Last spring we had many bake sales at sports games, as well as in dorms after check-in,” Fleming explained. “We needed $7,000 for Guinness and the rest of the money we raised went to the Posse Foundation.” The committee plans to sell t-shirts to further benefit Posse in the coming weeks. Ahl concluded, “It was incredible to see how much support I got from the Academy and various faculty members to make this happen. The sense of community truly is what defines Deerfield.”

During the summer after my freshman year at Deerfield, I staged a protest. I sat my parents down and told them that I would not be returning to the Pocumtuck Valley for a second year. When asked why, I flatly responded that I hated everyone. “Oh really,” my Dad retorted in sarcastic disbelief, “you hate every single person?” a comment that only sparked further outrage and an even more resolute decision on my part to not return. Luckily, my parents, who always seem to be right in the most frustrating fashion, didn’t let me give up on Deerfield. Even when faced with militant silent treatment, three months’ worth of door slamming and profuse sobbing throughout the entire two hour drive back to school in September, their response remained unchanged: I would be spending the next three years at Deerfield. Almost eight years later, it seems laughable that I was ever unhappy at school, as I often reflect with nostalgic pleasure on my high school experience and am in constant communication with many of the friends I made during this time. However, through recent conversations with my younger sister, now a senior at DA, I am reminded of the difficulties of finding yourself and growing into an adult while far from home and under overwhelming pressure. Reflecting on my plea after freshman year to escape and return to my cozy day school with childhood friends and constant familial support reminds me of exactly how and why I felt utterly unequipped to navigate the throes of boarding school. One of the knocks against Deerfield from an outsider’s perspective is its elitism. One of the knocks against Deerfield from an insider’s perspective is its male elitism. This deep-rooted, male-dominated culture was something I loved to complain about for sport with my friends, and still discuss with my family on a regular basis, as my dad and two sisters are all alums or soon-to-be alums (fingers crossed!). We poke fun at my dad for having vehemently opposed co-education, only to send his three daughters here. We also laugh in a semi-horrified manner when my little sister informs us that Varsity Softball wears old JV boys’ football uniforms. I love to talk about taking an unheated green machine to a Varsity Field Hockey game in the bitter cold of November, while boys’ football took two luxurious coach buses to their game. When I arrived freshman year, I let this entrenched aspect of Deerfield culture intimidate me. I also let every other aspect of the social scene wear me down until I was ready to give up on a place I had wanted to be part of for my entire life. When I returned sophomore year, however, I decided that if I was going to have to endure the hell that I had made Deerfield out to be in my angst-ridden teenage mind, then I would at least do it on my own terms. I stopped focusing on social hierarchy and groups; I befriended students older and younger than me because I liked who they were as people and not because they were ‘cool’ or ‘popular.’ I embraced my weirdness and reveled in other people’s quirks. Most importantly, through this new lens, I began to appreciate Deerfield and everyone there instead of condemning its social politics and bitterly denouncing my peers. As I felt more connected to the people around me, I found myself rooting for them, happy for their successes and in turn happier myself. In the same vein, I reflected on my position as a Deerfield girl and what my role within the community was. While I spent a lot of time thinking about this throughout my four years, I had a hard time finding a solution to my laundry list of patriarchal grievances. What I wish I had figured out during this time, and what I hope my sister can understand during her last year at school, is that change has been in the hands of Deerfield girls all along. Just as I decided to alter my focus after freshman year, Deerfield girls need to decide to change if they want our beloved institution to evolve with them. We can complain about the culture until we are blue in the face and swap stories about various injustices like sports uniforms and leadership positions. But have we or do we ever really do anything to start the change that so many of us yearned for as students? Instead of complaining about the culture as I did my freshman year, I hope Deerfield girls today will change the ways in which they approach the everyday. High school, and boarding school in particular, should really be a celebration. Everyone is in a confusing, transformative time together and, unlike at regular schools, Deerfield students do not have a nightly escape from the burden and pressure of school – we live in it 24/7. Therefore, students should be more understanding, more supportive, but above all more celebratory. Our experience is unlike that of pretty much anybody else in the world, and in spite of all its difficulties, it is fantastic! I think many of my fellow alums would agree with me when I say that some of the memories I treasure most come from those formative four years. Girls always seem to be particularly hard on one another, not as supportive as we should be, and maybe a little too quick to tear one another down. Changing this pattern of interaction is, in my opinion, the key to change. Instead of whispering behind the back of someone who has chosen a particularly eclectic outfit, girls should be celebrating the welcome punch of color among an otherwise Barbour jacket and Hunter boot-riddled landscape. When you pass a girl (or anyone, for that matter) on the sidewalk, you should say hi, regardless of whether you ‘know’ them or not. Deerfield has less than 700 students; you should be friendly to all and celebrate the intimacy of campus. Older girls, strive to be the person you looked up to as a freshman or sophomore. Not the girl who intimidated you, but the girl who was kind and made you feel welcome. Younger girls, make an effort to celebrate your strange side. Revel in every small aspect of your personality that makes you different from the person next to you in the first waiting line. My sophomore year proctor once told me that she knew we would become close the moment she caught me and my best friend dancing to “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child in the Mac I common room. I was mortally embarrassed at the time, but later realized that stumbling upon moments like this were part of what made Deerfield special. The eccentricity is part of the magic. None of these suggestions I make here are new or ground-breaking in any sense, but they can be easy to forget amidst the day-to-day stress. And, who knows, maybe a gentle reminder from a graduate who wishes she had practiced what she is preaching more often during her time at DA might be a small catalyst to a larger movement! The truth is that everyone at Deerfield has something important to contribute. It might be something as small as a booming laugh that echoes throughout the dining hall and makes someone smile on his or her way to first period, but it is essential. These small components, seemingly minute yet distinguishing, make up the overall landscape of campus and brighten each moment of the day. It is these we should be celebrating and, girls, it is up to you to lead the charge and support one another. Deerfield as a school, in all its tradition and historical splendor, will follow suit. After all, isn’t it usually students who spur change anyways? Why should a cultural shift be any different? Support your all your fellow students. Deerfield will support you in return.