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In this article, we bid you adieu. It keeps us up at night knowing we are leaving a mailbox full of unanswered questions, and we shudder to think what you’ll do without our guidance over the long hot days of summer. But worry not, we will leave you with some closing advice that you can refer to when times get rough and there’s not a Scroll in sight. Margo, Rita and Curtis—the Spark Notes version 1. Run in zigzags. 2. Rain dances before Investiture always work. They have not failed us yet. 3. Your parents taught you not to accept candy from strangers. This rule applies to the deans. 4. Everyone you know is a narc. 5. Or in a secret society. 6. Even when they say there is a dance theme, there isn’t. It’s always lax pinnies and neon – even Semi. 7. Academy Events 8. Be prepared to cough up a lung if you want more than Sudogest from the Health Center. 9. Don’t fight the five-minute warnings in the library: the librarians will come find you. 10. We have devised a simple method for determining who secretly likes Choate: they don’t like raspberry cookies. You’re welcome. But above all, Deerfield days are days of glory. Sincerely, Margo, Rita and Curtis

“This place sucks!” Lately on campus, there seems to be more vocal opposition to Deerfield’s rules and traditions. The most common complaints involve sit-down meals, Disciplinary Committee decisions, late nights spent studying, and day-to-day challenges that impede students’ enjoyment of the spring. Life at Deerfield is challenging and stressful—there is no debating that—but we at The Scroll believe this continual verbal assault of the community is unhealthy. Such verbal assaults should not be confused with constructive criticism of the school. Constructive criticism is a characteristic element of a school intent on self-improvement, a school like Deerfield. Students who simply attack, on the other hand, are irresponsible in that they’re venting without considering their impact, without offering possible solutions. In fact, The Scroll Board believes that most of our complaints about school culture might be addressed if only these very same complainers took constructive action. For example, instead of lamenting the recent downward trend in Greer dances, pointing fingers at the “terrible music” and the the fact that “no one is there,” they might stop perpetuating the sweaty mosh-pit culture and enlist their friends to actually dance. Or sign up to DJ the next dance. Those who do not take action do not have the right to complain about the “current state of things.” Deerfield is not some abstract entity. Every single one of us makes Deerfield what it is. And we should start taking responsibility for it.

Dear Reader, In the February 2014 edition of The Scroll, former Editor-in- Chief Charlotte Allen ‘14 and Op-Ed Editor Andrea Fleming ‘14 published a letter from Josh Krugman ‘06, a letter calling into question David Koch’s values, actions and role on the Deerfield Board. The letter claimed that Mr. Koch has control “over Deerfield’s admissions policy, hiring and firing, curriculum, long-range planning.” This spring, I met with Dr. Curtis and exchanged correspondence with Mr. Greer. Both expressed to me that the accusations regarding Mr. Koch’s power over Deerfield were simply untrue. They expressed their fear of the influence this misinformation might have had over the entire Deerfield community. I take matters of misinformation extremely seriously. The Scroll’s responsibility is to provide the reader with an unbiased, fact-based report. In this case, the piece was an alumnus’s opinion; and the ethics of publishing a misinformed individual’s piece fall into a grey area of sorts. When I learned that David Koch would be on campus, I was determined to arrange a meeting and conduct a fair and balanced interview with him. I am extremely grateful for his willingness to speak with The Scroll and for the hours he spent answering my questions in person and on the phone. Mr. Koch left nothing off the table; we discussed everything from his environmental record to his support of various political campaigns. In the end, I hope that I have succeeded in providing the community with a fair, balanced and informative perspective on David Koch. With so little time left on campus, I find myself hopeful that the community will work towards ending the year on a positive note. In the time since our last issue, however, the community has become a haven for disrespect. Posters on campus with the hashtag #FreeSterling and anonymous posts on the iPhone app Yik Yak have targeted and tormented countless members of our community. These vindictive attacks shocked me. This behavior goes against everything Deerfield strives to instill in its students. In most recent days, however, I have been inspired by the student-led forums that have been held in the Greer to address the issues at hand. The student body has truly come together and come to the consensus that this behavior is unacceptable. Ultimately, I would like to congratulate the class of 2014. You have proven yourself in the classrooms and on the playing fields, but most importantly, you have served as great role models to the younger grades. Your impact on the Academy and certainly The Scroll has been immense. Sincerely, Henry Cobbs Editor-in-Chief

The Deerfield curriculum, comprised of five areas of study—English, history, math, science and foreign languages— seems to create a balanced system in which students can improve their overall skill sets in preparation for college level education and beyond. But students who excel in math or science classes have an unfair advantage over those who excel in humanities. In math and science, students can attain grades in the high 90s or even 100 on a test or assignment, while grades in English or history often seem to be capped around 93. Since many Deerfield students are competing for spots at top colleges, this phenomenon creates a tangible disadvantage in GPA statistics for students who are stronger in humanities and weaker in math and science. This grade gap, however, is only a minor facet of the issues within the DA grading system. One of the problems is school-wide grade compression and inflation. In the winter term of this school year, 60% of grades were between 87 and 92, and 10% of grades were between 92 and 93. These statistics create a situation in which students have difficulty distinguishing themselves from their peers. Students are led to fight for fractions of points, in some cases negotiating with teachers for a grade they may not have earned. It seems unhealthy to foster an environment that pushes students to compete within a five-point compact scale. Many historical components have contributed to our currently skewed grading system. As the college admissions process, and consequently Deerfield students, has become increasingly more competitive, fewer students tolerate grades in the C range. It seems hard to believe looking at Deerfield today, but in the recent past, C’s were considered acceptable passing grades at our school. There have been beneficial changes to the academic system. Today students enjoy more options in their academic ventures. Test corrections, multiple drafts of papers and extra-help sessions contribute both to greater understanding and success on the students’ part as teachers further aid their efforts. Tracking (e.g. honors, accelerated) allows students to either play to their strengths for the sake of a more competitive GPA or assume the risk of being one of the weaker students in the class. The choice is up to the students. Academic Dean Peter Warsaw explained that grade inflation and compression is a complex issue not unique to Deerfield—many of our peer schools have seen this trend as well. Fifty years ago, a Deerfield student would be one of 2,000 applicants to a college, while today schools regularly see 30,000-40,000 applicants. Grade inflation reform calls for a conversation not just about grading, but also about what we value in an education, taking into account the pressures of college admission. There is no simple solution. The current administration inherited the existing system, Mr. Warsaw said: the Curriculum Committee is examining some of its more negative components. The Committee, throughout the year, has explored many aspects of the grading system, and ultimately, they have decided the issue is one that should be addressed. It seems to me that meaningful change will only take place with some very gradual developments. There remain many questions as to exactly how and when transition could take place. As Deerfield grading has developed into such a complex system, its transformation is likely to be just as complicated.

Scroll: You were born and raised in Kansas—how did you find Deerfield from there? And as a follow-up, can you talk a little bit about your time at Deerfield (what made it so special, the highs, lows, any funny anecdotes). Mr. Koch: I attended a public grade school in Wichita, Kansas. The public education was very inferior and my mother and father, who were both very sophisticated people (my father went to MIT and my mother went to Wellesley College), brought my twin brother and me to the Northeast. We visited half a dozen boarding schools. I really liked what I experienced at my visit to Deerfield. That was my first choice, and I was admitted. My twin brother—he went a different school, which was best for him. As a result of Deerfield, I received great instruction, made tremendously good friends, and was very much involved in athletics. I was the high scorer on the varsity basketball team and captain of the track team. I set a school record for the pole-vault on the track team. Deerfield helped me immensely to get into MIT. And as a result, I feel obligated to serve on the board of trustees and help Deerfield in many ways, because they helped me so much. Scroll: As an alumnus of Deerfield, what sort of a school do you think Deerfield should aspire to be? How do you envision its future? Mr. Koch: It’s outstanding in so many ways. I like the fact that it’s so strong in the liberal arts and sciences. It didn’t used to be that way. It used to be all focused on liberal arts and not on sciences, but now, I think it’s a proper balance. Deerfield has a terrifically interesting and diverse student body. It attracts students from all across the USA and internationally. I think that other wonderful qualities are the great athletic program and terrific arts program. We have terrific instructors and I think that long term, with the tremendous leadership that Deerfield has, it will continue to get stronger and stronger for years to come. I am really pleased with just about everything that Deerfield represents and has to offer. Scroll: We understand that Koch Industries is a very active company, which consists of numerous subsidiaries that manufacture, refine and distribute a variety of goods to the public. However, could you please offer us a deeper insight into what areas your corporation is involved with, what its mission is, and the bigger picture of what you are trying to achieve through your work? Mr. Koch: We are either the first or the second largest privately owned company in the world. It depends on what measure. We are in many, many different business areas. We do oil refining, chemical manufacturing, commodity trading, fertilizer production, textile-fiber manufacturing, wood products for construction use, retail products such as paper towels, paper plates, and toilet paper. Believe it or not, our company Georgia Pacific has 40% of the toilet paper market—and that never goes out of style. We are a world leader in supply of different kinds of equipment for oil refining and chemical manufacturing. Last, but not least, we have a company in the Boston area that has developed a new water-purification system. I expect great things out of that technology that we’ve developed. Scroll: Your company employs more than 100,000 people around the world. How does it feel to know that you are providing a source of income and stability to that many? Mr. Koch: We do have over 100,000 employees. I feel extremely proud that we can successfully employ this large a number of people to work for us. We are tremendously interested in providing great opportunities for our people and promoting them. Our company, even though it’s a huge company, we try to keep like a family company. We do a good job of recruiting people. We have been really, really successful at hiring outstanding executives, ones who really manage our businesses extremely well. Scroll: What is the secret to your success? What advice do you have to offer young people today? Mr. Koch: I believe one of the main reasons we are so successful is because of the outstanding executives who have excellent business skills. We employ wonderful people who are very happy to work for us; they really like the jobs that they have with us. We have very little turnover within our company. When people join us, they stay with us for years and years and years. I think that the best way for young people to succeed is to get a terrific education at a fine high school and university and have them pursue a career in a field that they like—that they feel comfortable in. The better education you acquire, the better opportunities there are available to you in the future. Pursue a field that is complementary to your talents. Don’t try to pursue a field where you don’t really have any talents. I would starve to death if I tried to make my living as a painter or singer. Scroll: What are your thoughts on the Josh Krugman Letter? Mr. Koch: That [letter] is highly inaccurate in so many ways. Almost all of this person’s statements are factually wrong. I was extremely appreciative that the president of the board, Phil Greer, and the incoming president, Rodgin Cohen, and Margarita Curtis collectively wrote a letter criticizing the content of Krugman’s article. I am immensely appreciative that they did that on my behalf. I think that their response to Krugman’s article speaks for itself. Scroll: The Josh Krugman letter voices fears that you, as a board member, have control over Deerfield’s “admissions policy, hiring and firing, curriculum, long-range planning.” Mr. Koch: That is absolutely incorrect. There is no way that any member of the board interferes, in my opinion, with the selection of students to enroll at Deerfield. We have a terrific team of people in the admissions department who very, very carefully evaluate applicants and, I think, do a superb job of accepting the best people in the applicant pool. And I think Margarita has done a terrific job of recruiting outstanding instructors; I think the instruction at Deerfield is as good as you’ll find at any boarding school in the country. Scroll: What do you actually have control over as a board member? Mr. Koch: I had a lot of different roles early on. But now I am a lifetime trustee and I attend any of the committee meetings that I want to and do my best to make helpful suggestions. I try to be a very constructive member of the board, and I think I do that very well. Gosh, I’ve served about 25 years on the board at Deerfield, longer than anyone else. Scroll: Can you give some specific examples of things the board does? Mr. Koch: There are so many things—so many committees. Nominating committee, building and grounds committee, academic committee, audit committee, and it just goes on and on. We have people on the board that serve on these different committees. Scroll: How involved are you in planning the buildings you fund at Deerfield, and what other involvement do you have in the school’s affairs? Mr. Koch: I’m not really an expert in architecture. I leave that up to experts. Scroll: How hands-on and involved were you in the design process of the Koch Center. There are rumors that you were very specific about who you wanted to design it and many small details of the project. Mr. Koch: Well, I was on the building committee for many years. We collectively interviewed a lot of architects, and I think in almost every case there was a real consensus on what architect to choose to design each of the various buildings we have on campus. And I think they’ve done a great job; I think these buildings are very successful. Scroll: In the Josh Krugman letter, Krugman suggests that some of your company’s practices have been harmful to the environment. Could you clear up these accusations? Mr. Koch: We are very proud of the fact that at Koch Industries we’ve won several hundred awards for our environmental practices and personnel safety achievements over the last five years. I think these awards really speak for themselves. Our environmental emissions are consistently well below the emissions level that the EPA requires us to achieve. In many cases, we are 50% or 2/3 less than what the federal rules are. That’s why we’ve won so many of these awards. You know, we don’t get these just ‘cause we’re nice people. We get these awards because we do a terrific job of controlling our emissions at really low levels and practicing marvelous safety [procedures] to protect our personnel from being injured. Scroll: Could you clarify your stance on the issues of global warming and environmental stewardship? Mr. Koch: My mother and father were really outdoors people. They loved hunting and fishing, and I grew up outside. My family’s belief is to protect the outdoors. The last thing we want to do is to spoil the environment. That’s why we work so hard to reduce our emissions from our many, many manufacturing plants to very, very low levels. We wouldn’t get these awards unless we were successful in doing that. My father used to take us out hunting and fishing almost every weekend to a small pond of ours not far from our home in Kansas. I think the earth is warming. But the question is: is it warming because of natural trends in the history of the earth or is it maybe because of the hugely growing population of the world? How do you deal with all of this? There are all kinds of opinions as to which is causing the earth to warm more: is it the natural cycle of the heating and cooling of the earth or is it because of the huge increase in population? Scroll: Through the organizations you support—Americans for Prosperity, Freedom Works—you have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various political campaigns. Some people have argued that such donations wield influence over political campaigns. To what extent is it acceptable for lobbies to influence politicians? Mr. Koch: In the constitution of the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees free speech for all citizens. All eligible voters have the right to support or vote for candidates of their choice. And there are limits on how much money you can give any candidate running for federal office. I, like any other voter in the United States, have the right to support and hopefully elect candidates of my choice. Scroll: I’ve read about an ad featuring Julie Boonstra, that was funded by Americans for Prosperity, that attacks Obamacare and Congressman Peters. Many news outlets investigated this and reported that it contains misinformation. Do you know anything about these ads or are you really not involved in the day-to-day operations of these organizations? Mr. Koch: AFP has its own independent board. I happen to be one member of the board, but I believe that there are a lot of things that are probably not as good as they should be with the Affordable Care Act. I’m a strong believer that there is a lot in the ACA that ought to be changed and improved. As you many know, 60% of Americans dislike the Obama Care law. Only 40% support the Obamacare program. Here you have a significant majority of the population not happy with it. There are a whole variety of reasons that’s the case, which I don’t have time to go into in this conversation. Scroll: What is your vision for America? You are obviously a Republican, but you support gay marriage, stem cell research, and are against the war on drugs. Can you elaborate a little bit about where you think America should be moving (in regards to taxes, business / bank regulations, distribution of wealth, and social issues)? Mr. Koch: I’m a Republican businessman, and we’ve built up a terrific company—my brother and I. But I’m a social liberal. I believe in gay marriage and a lot of other things I favor that some people might find controversial. I think it would be terrific if we legalized drugs for adults. And boy, if that happened, the price of drugs would collapse to very low numbers, and there would be one of the greatest results because it would reduce the amount of crime. So many people engage in theft to get the money to pay for their illegal drug use. I think that drugs that are illegal now should be legalized and sold at a very, very low price. That would be a wonderful improvement in the amount of crime that occurs in the United States. Scroll: Do you find the current bi-partisan system frustrating because I know that a lot of Republican candidates these days don’t seem to be as liberal as you are in terms of social issues? Mr. Koch: Yeah—that’s true. I’m really a Libertarian. That’s my political point of view. Scroll: You have been incredibly philanthropic over the years, donating $100 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital, $100 Million to MIT, $70 million to Deerfield, and the list goes on. There are some prominent figures, like Steve Jobs, who never gave any money to charity. Why do you believe that giving back is so important? What are you hoping to achieve through these donations? Mr. Koch: I believe that people who have achieved significant financial success in life should be generous philanthropists. In fact, I think philanthropy, if it’s given properly, helps make the world a far better place. And, personally, I feel as though I almost have a moral obligation to contribute money to great institutions. I plan to continue with my charitable giving for the rest of my life. I’m very proud of that and I guarantee you that the institutions I support are extraordinarily appreciative of it, particularly Deerfield. I care deeply about other people, and one of the things that I am constantly doing [is sitting] on a large number of medical boards, and I get calls all the time from people who get sick and reach out to me and say I have this illness or that illness—where should I go to get treatment. I immediately stop what I’m doing and contact the patient coordinator at a hospital who will arrange for the person to visit the right doctor and get appointments for these ill people very soon. The people are really appreciative of my efforts to help them find the right medical center. Scroll: Do you think the public misunderstands you, and does the constant criticism become frustrating? Mr. Koch: Yeah, for sure it does. What really worries me is the way the federal government is conducting itself . . . The deficits are running at the federal level about a trillion dollars a year. That’s a staggering deficit to run year after year. What I worry about is that the Federal Reserve is buying these Treasury bonds that add up to a trillion dollars a year by printing money. I think that this could lead to runaway inflation if it continues for many more years. We’ve got to get this deficit under control or this country is going to have very, very serious financial problems. This could lead to, as I said, runaway inflation. There are just so many problems that will come along with these deficits being out of control for so many years in a row. Scroll: Any final words? Mr. Koch: I am a huge fan of Deerfield. It has been led brilliantly by Margarita Curtis. She has done a great job of hiring outstanding faculty and athletic coaches and done a great job of recruiting outstanding people who are attending Deerfield.

Julia Hamilton, girls varsity field hockey captain, will be playing field hockey and lacrosse at Smith College next year. Although she has been playing both sports for six years, she was initially only recruited for field hockey. The winner of the Deerfield Field Hockey Cup “fell in love with the school when she went on her overnight” and is excited for next year. Lacrosse captain David “Woody” Hamilton has been a skilled goalkeeper and beloved team member. Hamilton will join the Trinity College squad, which will allow him to “play at a NESCAC school, enjoy college and receive a great education.” Although excited about the future, he said, “I will miss Deerfield and Coach Davis, the best lacrosse coach I’ve had in my career, who keeps us prepared and focused during the season.” Devinne Cullinane is the Deerfield MVP and an All-New England selection for cross- country for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. In track, she is the school record- holder and earned All-New England status for the 800m and 1500m events. Next year she will be running cross-country, indoor track and outdoor track at Cornell. Cullinane said, “Three weeks after first talking to the coach, I committed.” Dave Lucente will be continuing his rowing career at Yale in 2015, as he has chosen to take a gap year abroad for rowing. After spending five weeks last summer at the University of Otago, New Zealand, rowing through days of freezing rain, he is excited for his year in Melbourne and London. Lucente described his recruitment process as “hyper-condensed and stressful,” since he had limited time in the fall to make a decision. Senior squash player Osama Khalifa has made quite an impact in his short time at Deerfield, going undefeated in competitive matches through his two years and winning back-to-back New England Championships. Khalifa will be attending Columbia University next year. Reflecting on his time here, he said, “I will miss my teammates, especially the captains, Cameron Dewey ‘14 and Tripp Kaelin ‘14, and the friendships and memories with everyone here will last me a lifetime.” Caroline Ashford will be wearing crimson next year as she joins the Harvard lacrosse roster. She has been playing lacrosse since fourth grade and has wanted to go to Harvard since the beginning of the college process. Some of her many accolades in the sport include making the Under Armour All-American 2013 team, the All-New England’s Founders League Conference Team 2012-2013 and the Lower New England’s Selection Team 2013. All-American Quinn Smith is swimming next year at Boston University. The seven-time Deerfield record-breaker was won over by BU’s beautiful pool. He explained how “Swimming in an ugly pool . . . makes training more unenjoyable than it already is.” A four-year varsity swimmer, Smith was rewarded for his efforts with the Babcock Award at this year’s New England Championships. Libby Murray has been a valuable asset for the girls crew team in her four years. After rowing on the Junior National team in Spain last summer, Murray decided to go to the University of Michigan. At Michigan, she said, the “team felt like a family, the coach was amazing and the school spirit was crazy.” Murray is excited to finish up strong here at DA and is preparing for New Englands.

If someone dared you to sit at a random table in the dining hall—a table with people you’ve never talked to before—would you do it? Well, fall term, I dared myself to and called it “My Breakfast Project.” Why? 1. It dawned on me that, sadly enough, I always knew where I would sit in the dining hall: in the big bubble, near the edge, the second table from the column by the cereal. And I know most other people have their own breakfast spots. 2. I realized that I was afraid of what would happen if I sat at a random table. Would there be an awkward silence? Would they get up and leave? 3. It was my senior year, yet I didn’t know that many people. I knew about many of them (few things are sacred here and, as we have all noticed at some point, the walls are crazy thin), but I’d never had a conversation with most. After weeks of contemplating, analyzing, obsessing, I made up my mind to do it. The short story is that I sat at four different tables and— surprise, surprise—didn’t die. To be honest, it was nerve-wracking going up to people I don’t associate with. To ease myself into the experiment, I decided to start with a table where I was acquainted with some. I also recruited a friend to do it. When we asked if there were free seats, the others looked confused, but that was as awkward as it got. Soon enough, conversation flowed, and this pushed me to do more. A week passed, and I became determined to do the hard tables—the ones that made me most nervous. My next target was a table with guys on the same team, because if athletic boys aren’t the most opposite to me, I don’t know who is. I donned my nametag and put on my big-girl britches, but there was no such table to be found. So I decided to sit at a table of sophomore girls instead. Picture me with my dark, twisted hair amongst a ring of all blondes. Before my project, these differences in appearance would have intimidated me, but I told myself to throw away my prejudices. The table ended up being really fun. I didn’t have much conversation at my second-to-last table. Two of the boys were checking sports and the other two were eating, but that’s understandable. Sometimes you just want to sit and eat in peace before going off into the day. I know I have mornings when making conversation would be too much. My final table was a senior boys table. My friend egged me on, and I realized people were regarding my project with interest. And ultimately, my project ended on a high note. These senior boys and I talked about work, then I learned about Breaking Bad and listened to “Blue Persuasion.” The best part was the end, when the two boys who were in my first-period class waited for me to walk to class together. I’m writing this because I think more of this mixing should happen. I’m not telling you to eat somewhere new every day. I eventually stopped my project because I needed a break. It was tiring to have to introduce myself and push myself out of my comfort zone (the edge of the big bubble, second table from the column). I’m just saying that we often feel like we have to stick to a certain group and routine. If we didn’t, who knows what could happen? My answer is: good things. Most people are receptive to someone coming up to them and starting a conversation. The problem is that no one wants to take that first step. But there comes a time when you need to do the hard thing—because it’s worth it. Getting to know people outside your friend group is worthwhile. Don’t wait until Senior Cry to tell someone you wish you’d gotten to know her/ him. Just have breakfast together.

Click Here for the full transcript from the interview with David Koch. Since his time as a student at Deerfield Academy, David Koch ’59 has spent much of his time and revenue giving back to the community he once called home. Current president of the Board of Trustees, Phillip Greer, commented, “I have heard him [Mr. Koch] say that his four years at Deerfield impacted his life more than any other part of his education, and therefore in gratitude he has given time and resources to support our school in appreciation.” David Koch attended public grade school in his hometown, Wichita, Kansas, before his father and mother, MIT and Wellesley College graduates respectively, brought him and his twin brother to look at boarding schools in the Northeast for a better education. Koch explains his love for Deerfield, his first-choice school, “As a result of Deerfield, I received great instruction, made tremendously good friends, and was very much involved in athletics.” Just as Deerfield made a huge impact on Mr. Koch, Mr. Koch makes a huge impact on Deerfield. “Deerfield helped me immensely to get into MIT,” said Mr. Koch. “And as a result, I feel obligated to serve on the board of trustees and help Deerfield in many ways, because they helped me so much.” Mr. Koch helped fund the Koch Center for Math and Science, as well as the Koch Pool. Mr. Koch recalled his role on the building committee for the Koch Center: “We collectively interviewed a lot of architects; and I think in almost every case there was a real consensus on what architect to choose to design each of the various buildings we have on campus. And I think they’ve done a great job; I think these buildings are very successful.” David Koch has served on the Board of Trustees for 25 years—longer than any other member in Deerfield history. According to Mr. Greer, “The Board’s principal job is to set Deerfield’s mission, be sure the school runs true to the mission, and that Deerfield has the necessary resources.” Margarita Curtis, Head of School, said, “One of the primary responsibilities of the Board is to appoint and oversee the Head of School, who in turn is in charge of the day-to-day execution of the school’s mission. Every member of the Board serves on three to four committees, and is expected to rotate through the different committees throughout their tenure. These committees include Nominating and Governance, Endowment, Finance, Audit and Risk Management, Development, Buildings and Grounds, Compensation and Personnel, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Admission, Financial Aid and College Advising.” The 30 members of the board voted David Koch the Academy’s first-ever Lifetime Trustee, an honor he now shares with Mr. Greer. As Lifetime Trustees, the pair have the rights of an active Trustee for the rest of their lives, including voting and attending any board or committee meetings they choose. Mr. Greer commented on Koch’s involvement with the Board: “In addition to his time commitment, Mr. Koch has been lead donor for the Koch Center, the pool and other important facilities at Deerfield. No trustee has asked better questions, given more thoughtful advice, over such a longer period of involvement.” David Koch responded, “I try to be a very constructive member of the board, and I think I do that very well.” Dr. Curtis concurred: “Mr. Koch is not only willing to invest resources in his alma mater, but his time. This is a man who sits on more than 20 boards—many of them non-profits. He takes the time to come here to spend two full days interacting with other trustees, faculty and students, and to offer his support generously.” David Koch and his brother Charles Koch run Koch Industries, Incorporated—David as the Executive Vice President and Charles as the Chairman and CEO. “We are either the first- or the second-largest privately owned company in the world. It depends on what measure,” remarked David Koch, adding, “We are in many, many different business areas. We do oil refining, chemical manufacturing, commodity trading, fertilizer production, textile-fiber manufacturing, wood products for construction use, retail products such as paper towels, paper plates, and toilet paper.” Georgia Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, is responsible for 40% of the toilet paper market. “We are a world leader in supply of different kinds of equipment for oil refining and chemical manufacturing,” said Mr. Koch. “Last, but not least, we have a company in the Boston area that has developed a new water-purification system. I expect great things out of the technology that we’ve developed.” Additionally, Koch Industries employs over 100,000 workers around the world. “I feel extremely proud that we can successfully employ this large a number of people to work for us,” said Mr. Koch. “We are tremendously interested in providing great opportunities for our people and promoting them. We have been really, really successful at hiring outstanding executives, ones who really manage our business extremely well.” Mr. Koch also offered advice for the younger generation: “I think that the best way for young people to succeed is to get a terrific education at a fine high school and university and have them pursue a career in a field that they like—that they feel comfortable in.” He continued, “The better the education you acquire, the better opportunities there are available to you in the future. Pursue a field that is complementary to your talents. Don’t try to pursue a field where you don’t really have any talents. I would starve to death if I tried to make my living as a painter or singer.” In the February issue of The Scroll Josh Krugman ’09 challenged Mr. Koch’s power at Deerfield Academy. This letter prompted an official response, for which Mr. Koch was grateful: “I was extremely appreciative that the president of the board, Phil Greer, and the incoming president, Rodgin Cohen, and Margarita Curtis collectively wrote a letter criticizing the content of Krugman’s article. I am immensely appreciative that they did that on my behalf.” Part of the reason for The Scroll to seek an interview with David Koch was to address Krugman’s claims. In his “Open Letter to the Deerfield Community,” Krugman asked, “Knowing what we know about David Koch, are we, the Deerfield Community, comfortable with granting him such decisive influence, for as long as he wants it, over Deerfield’s admissions policy, hiring and firing, curriculum, long-range planning, and the other matters the Board oversees?” Mr. Greer, Dr. Curtis, Mr. Rodgin, and Mr. Koch all took issue with the letter. “There is no way that any member of the board interferes, in my opinion, with the selection of students to enroll at Deerfield,” said Koch. “We have a terrific team of people in the admissions department who very, very carefully evaluate applicants and, I think, do a superb job of accepting the best people in the applicant pool. And I think Margarita has done a terrific job of recruiting outstanding instructors; I think the instruction at Deerfield is as good as you’ll find at any boarding school in the country.” The administration’s response goes on to state, “Institutional governance rules and our ethical standards and responsibilities prevent the sort of influence Mr. Krugman claims. No individual at Deerfield—not even the Board President or Head of School—wields the sort of influence that Mr. Krugman suggests.” Mr. Greer explained this further: “The Board of Trustees and its members advise the Head as requested, but in no case do they have the authority or inclination to control faculty selection, faculty and staff compensation or academic curriculum. Their influence is given through board committees on an advisory basis. Any board decision requires vote by the board as a whole. No individual member could or would try to control a board decision.” Krugman also questioned the Kochs’ concern for environmental issues in his letter. David Koch addressesed this himself: “We are very proud of the fact that at Koch Industries we’ve won several hundred awards for our environmental practices and personnel safety achievements over the last five years. I think these awards really speak for themselves. Our environmental emissions are consistently well below the emissions level that the EPA requires us to achieve. In many cases, we are 50% or 2/3 less than what the federal rules are. That’s why we’ve won so many of these awards.” “We get these awards because we do a terrific job of controlling our emissions at really low levels and practicing marvelous safety [procedures] to protect our personnel from being injured,” Mr. Koch said. According to Mr. Koch, his concern for the environment started at a young age. “My mother and father were really outdoors people,” he explained. “They loved hunting and fishing, and I grew up outside. My family’s belief is to protect the outdoors. The last thing we want to do is to spoil the environment. That’s why we work so hard to reduce our emissions from our many, many manufacturing plants to very, very low levels. We wouldn’t get these awards unless we were successful in doing that.” Koch went on to express his views on climate change, “I think the earth is warming. But the question is: is it warming because of natural trends in the history of the earth or is it maybe because of the hugely growing population of the world? How do you deal with all of this? There are all kinds of opinions as to which is causing the earth to warm more: is it the natural cycle of the heating and cooling of the earth or is it because of the huge increase in population?” David Koch has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various political campaigns such as Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Works. Some people have argued that such donations have allowed him to wield excessive influence over political campaigns, but Koch rejects these claims. “In the constitution of the United States,” he said, “the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees free speech for all citizens. All eligible voters have the right to support or vote for candidates of their choice. And there are limits on how much money you can give any candidate running for federal office. I, like any other voter in the United States, have the right to support and hopefully elect candidates of my choice.” Koch expanded on his political beliefs, saying, “I’m a Republican businessman, and we’ve built up a terrific company—my brother and I. But I’m a social liberal. I believe in gay marriage and a lot of other things I favor that some people might find controversial. I’m really a libertarian. That’s my political point of view.” Dr. Curtis affirmed the importance of varied political backgrounds at Deerfield. “Our alumni, parents and trustees represent a wide political spectrum,” Dr. Curtis said. “As long as their contributions further our mission and our strategic goals, we are not relinquishing control to any one individual or group of individuals – they are buying into our collective vision. He [David Koch] is a libertarian, but we have Democrats and Republicans, which is a healthy mix for any board of trustees.” Koch supports the legalization of drugs, which he believes will reduce the crime rate in America. “I think it would be terrific if we legalized drugs for adults,” he said. “So many people engage in theft to get the money to pay for their illegal drug use. I think that drugs that are illegal now should be legalized and sold at a very, very low price. That would be a wonderful improvement in the amount of crime that occurs in the United States,” he continues. Finally Koch reflected on his generous donations to places like Deerfield. “I believe that people who have achieved significant financial success in life should be generous philanthropists,” he said. “I plan to continue with my charitable giving for the rest of my life. I’m very proud of that and I guarantee you that the institutions I support are extraordinarily appreciative of it, particularly Deerfield.” Mr Koch concluded by praising Deerfield: “We have terrific instructors, and I think that long term, with the tremendous leadership that Deerfield has, it will continue to get stronger and stronger for years to come. I am really pleased with just about everything that Deerfield represents and has to offer.”

At Deerfield, a large portion of the student body is granted a daily subscription to Adderall, Ritalin or Focalin. These medications are intended to largely relieve students of the effects of ADHD or ADD. Throughout the United States, extra time is often offered on tests such as the ACT and SAT. Requesting extra time is a tedious process, to be sure. It includes registering online and taking a test to prove you are qualified. But once you are approved, you might enjoy an additional 50%, 100% or even over 100% of the originally allotted time for the SAT or ACT. This is all despite the fact that harrowing time constraints, especially for the ACT, are what make standardized testing so challenging. If taking medication supposedly puts students with ADHD or ADD on an even playing field, then why should they have the option for extra time? Studies show that kids with medication and extra time, more often than not, score higher than students without these accommodations. Make no mistake, attention deficit disorders are very serious. But in our view, students with these disorders who receive both medication and extra time may have an unfair advantage. As of now, tests taken with and without extra time are curved on the same scale. In our eyes, this clearly puts students without the benefit of extra time at a disadvantage. One solution would be for the College Board to curve the tests with extra time separately. In a time of standardized test reform, in which the College Board is changing the SAT exam format, it could be a good idea to simultaneously reevaluate time allotted for testing.

Are the gleaming Crest Whitestrip smiles genuine? When is the automatic response “I’m great, thanks!” sincere? Certainly, there are instances of actual contentedness on campus. As privileged teenagers, we have plenty to be grateful for and happy about. However, many Deerfield students are burdened by challenges they would never admit to. Yes, at one time or another, we complain about the stress of school work, nagging parents, or gossip. But people rarely discuss deeper, less apparent issues: conflicts in relationships, trouble at home, or the stigmatism and struggle of mental illness and eating disorders, to name a few. Indeed, Deerfield students frequently cloak their true feelings, hiding difficulties behind façades of confidence and good cheer. Few discuss the challenges they face, problems many only feel comfortable sharing anonymously. This “fakeness” promotes the pervasive, unrealistic impression that the majority of our students are flawless and imperturbable. No one feels comfortable mentioning anything less than perfection, because perfection is all that appears to surround us. If individuals decided, however, to confess a troubling concern instead of biting their lips to conceal their seeming “weaknesses,” they would benefit both themselves and the entire community. The student body might become more tolerant and accepting, as no one would judge harshly because he or she shared a similar problem. Instead of being intimidated by impeccable, unflappable, and most of all, unattainable images of the ideal Deerfield boy and girl, students need to recognize that these are but mirages that do not exist. Everyone struggles. If only we could admit our own individual shortcomings more openly, we might better empathize with and support one another. We all know we’re fortunate to be in a community such as this— to study and play on this beautiful, well-tended campus—but we shouldn’t pretend to be happy when we sometimes aren’t. So when an issue is too tough to hold in, no one should feel pressured to struggle alone, to put on that happy, dress-code face. He or she should be bolstered by a community of people who understand adversity because they themselves can admit to difficulty.

In April 28th, Deerfield hosted its second blood drive of the year. “This blood drive was much better than the fall,” said Francoise Ellis, who oversaw the event. “More people signed up this spring. We had about 50 people sign up, with a few walk-ons, but we were able to get 34 pints, which helps about 100 people.” The blood collected will be used to help people in Massachusetts. The blood drive was held in the East Gym, which was transformed into a hospital-like setting. Nurses from the Red Cross worked alongside Deerfield Students, passing out drinks and catering to the donors. In addition to the question and answer forms each participant filled out, the nurses conducted brief physicals before every donation. Participants were asked about their medical history, and even tested for aids. After that, the nurses drew a pint of blood. Many students gave blood for the first time. Klyn Jones ’16 felt that the process was relatively painless: “They gave you a stress ball. I felt a little dizzy but I drank some water, and they had some snacks there.” Others had a different experience. “It was the first time I gave blood and I actually stood up and remember feeling really dizzy and then I fainted,” said Jackie Dowling ’14. It is not uncommon for donors to faint, especially if it is their first time giving blood. While everyone was encouraged to donate, stringent requirements turned away a few hopeful donors. These requirements included height, weight and past travel experiences. “They wouldn’t let people from Asia donate blood because there is a risk you have some kind of contagious disease,” said Hattie Wang ’16, who was turned away from the event. “I feel like on one hand it ensures that the blood they get is really good quality, but on the other hand it discourages a lot of people who want to donate.” Many students wished they had known of these restrictions prior to the event. “It would have been way more helpful if they had let everyone know of the limitations and restrictions beforehand,” said Saoirse Kennedy-Hill ’16, who could not participate due to recent travels. Although not everyone was able to give blood, the event turned out to be a success, thanks in part to the new online sign-up forms. Francoise Ellis credits Izzy Tang for her hard work organizing the drive: “Izzy did an incredible job, especially putting the signing-in online, and getting it on the Bulletin.” Next year’s event is currently being planned: “We are already looking at the dates for the school year 2014-2015!” Izzy Tang exclaimed.

1. “West Coast” – Lana del Ray 2. “Goodness Gracious” – Ellie Goulding (The Chainsmokers Remix) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PEjUlrgdrw 3. “Its on Again” – Alicia Keys ft. Kendrick Lamar 4. “Here Comes The Sun” – The Beatles 5. “Summer” – Calvin Harris 6. “Knee Deep” – Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffet 7. “Summer Love” – Justin Timberlake 8. “Carried Away” – Passion Pit 9. “Play it Again” – Luke Bryan 10. “Red Lights” – Tiesto 11. “Summer of ’69” – Bryan Adams 12. “All The Way” – Timeflies (Milkman Remix) 13. “Surfin’ USA” – The Beach Boys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s4slliAtQU 14. “Island In The Sun” – Weezer 15. “Cry For You” (The Live City Remix) – September https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ix5ZdTY-Qc