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Conor started playing water polo at the Eaglebrook School when he was 12. “I didn’t have a fall sport at the time, and my dad said if I played soccer he wouldn’t come to any of my games,” said Conor, “so I decided to give water polo a shot.” Ever since, he has been regularly attending water polo camps, including the ones at Harvard and Brown. During his ninth-grade year at Eaglebrook, in his final game against Deerfield, Conor scored 10 goals against Deerfield’s JV team, and Eaglebrook emerged victorious, winning 12–10. “It was the only time in my four years at Eaglebrook that we had won against Deerfield,” said Conor. At the end of the season, Conor had scored 68 goals in the 8-game season, shattering the previous record of around 45 goals. “In a typical game, I would expect Conor to score several goals, make key defensive plays and lighten the mood with funny and inspirational comments,” said Charlie Ughetta ’15. In the fall season of 2012, Conor scored an impressive 67 goals. Recently he has played for an 18-and-under summer club team in Greenwich, Connecticut, and his team qualified for the 2013 Junior Olympics, finishing 11th in a division of 54 teams. Sullivan’s teammates recall a particularly amazing goal he had against Choate. His body was facing up, almost parallel to the surface of the water, when a wet pass landed near his feet. He couldn’t move his upper body and reach the ball with his hands. The goalie swam out to retrieve the floating ball, but a moment before he could grasp it, Sullivan kicked the ball over his own head and into the back of Choate’s goal. “It was unlike anything I had ever seen,” said Quinn Smith ’14, the team’s captain. “He’s one of our biggest and most talented water polo players. His position (the hole) is essential to our success as a team,” said Smith. Though Sullivan is one of the team’s top goal-scorers, coach Mark Scandling also mentioned his role as a team player. “Conor doesn’t only make great shots; he makes great passes,” said Mr. Scandling. Conor said that, as always, the season’s objective is to make it to the championship game. “We need to all have the same reason to get into the pool every day,“ he said. “Not for personal stats, but because you know that every guy jumping into that pool needs you to accomplish the one goal we all share: winning that last game.”

Last spring David Keith ’13 started a petition to stop the consumption of antibiotic-fed livestock in the Dining Hall. As Keith’s Change. org page explains, “The widespread use of antibiotics in factory farms poses a significant threat to the environment & human health. The use of antibiotics in factory farms is indiscriminate, unnecessary, and largely unregulated by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration]. Although the CDC [Center for Disease Control], AMA [American Medical Association], NRDC [National Resources Defense Council], and countless scientists and farmers have warned about the risks of current antibiotic practices, the government has failed to act with the public’s interests in mind.” Now a freshman at nearby Amherst College, Keith hopes to continue the effort he started during his senior year. Although peaking at 342 supporters from around the community, the petition fell short of its goal by 158 people. Despite that, Keith said, “Accruing over 340 student signatures hopefully sent a message to the school that this is something the student body cares about.” The comments on Keith’s Change.org petition indicate widespread support for changing the Dining Hall’s purchase of meat. Former DA College Advisor, Mr. Wayne Berger wrote, “We need to be a leader in the promotion of local and sustainable food sources.” Libby Murray ’14 wrote, “I am eating this food every day; it’s so important and people don’t realize how much this affects you.” Michael McCarthy, Director of Food Services, offered an explanation for the minimal changes at this point in time: “The ABF[Antibiotic-free] movement is very much in the media these days and resonates with some of our community members, but in my opinion, not the majority at this time.” He continued, “Currently our efforts are being focused on the Healthy Plate sit-down meal initiative. Our goal is educating the students more and incorporating into our menu fruits and vegetables, whole grains, monosaturated fats, and leaner or non-animal proteins.” Mr. McCarthy concluded, “I feel, along with Kristin Loftus and Dr. Tom Hagamen, that this is the appropriate thing to do at this time.” One of the main issues in changing to antibiotic-free meat is the expense. Serving numerous cuts of meat to about 700 members of the community multiple times every day quickly adds up. “During the summer we made contact with a vendor who has access to ABF meats, but the cost is much higher than what we presently pay for these proteins,” Mr. McCarthy said. Keith argues a different view on the cost of antibiotic-free meat. “While the community’s health should be prioritized over dollars and cents, studies have shown that the cost of raising livestock without antibiotics is minor—especially when compared to the economic and human costs of infections and deaths from antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” Keith said. Keith feels that more action might have been taken. “I wanted to raise awareness among students about this issue,” he said, “but more importantly to begin applying pressure on the administration to act.” He went on to say, “Antibiotic-fed livestock was an issue I had discussed with the school on multiple occasions, but nothing was changing despite the urgency of the problem and its serious moral implications. This was partly because we have long prioritized saving money in the short term over sustainability or abiding by moral principles (in this case, preventing human suffering caused by antibiotic-resistant infections). But it’s also because they didn’t consider this issue to be one where students are passionate for change.” Keith encourages all members of the Deerfield community to involve themselves in this movement. “Like our country and much of the world, the school would prefer to act on its own terms and move at a dangerously slow pace—if at all—towards a sustainable lifestyle,” Keith said. “And ultimately nothing can change unless we—students, faculty, alumni, and other community members— put more pressure on the decision-makers of this school, following up this persuasion by helping them arrive at an attainable solution.” Not all of Keith’s hard work has been lost. Mr. McCarthy noted, “The Dining Hall staff has changed dairy suppliers and our milk is hormone- and antibiotic-free as of August of this year,” he said, adding, “Our organic grass-fed ground beef is antibiotic/ hormone free. In regards to the main proteins of beef, chicken and pork, we have not changed to antibiotic -free.” Looking back, Keith applauds the work of the Dining Hall and of those he has worked with in achieving this goal. “To be fair, there are problems with our nation’s politics and agricultural policy which create significant, but surmountable, difficulties for the school,” Keith said. “It should also go without saying that Deerfield is staffed with people I have a deep personal respect for and who seem receptive to some future improvements, and this includes Head of School Dr. Curtis and Mr. McCarthy.” Although no significant changes regarding antibiotic-free beef, chicken, or pork have occurred, Keith is still hopeful about new steps in the future.

David Pond, Associate Head of School for Alumni Affairs and Development, will be retiring at the end of the 2013-14 school year. Mr. Pond has served Deerfield Academy for 33 years. Head of School Dr. Margarita Curtis praised Pond’s achievement, saying, “David is regarded as a legend, and inspires both deep respect and admiration.” Mr. Pond said, “My wife and I came to Deerfield with two young daughters—a 7-year-old and a 10-month [-old baby]. Now they are 40 and 33. We were so fortunate to be able to raise our family in this very special community.” He continued, “I have been blessed to work at a fantastic school and have met so many wonderful alumni and parents.” The impact of Mr. Pond’s hard work and dedication to Deerfield Academy can be seen on many fronts, from the improvement and expansion of educational programs to the growth and ongoing refurbishment of campus, to the significant increase in financial aid and compensation budgets. Pond has supervised multiple comprehensive capital campaigns since his arrival in 1981; and under his guidance, Deerfield’s endowment has grown to over $200 million. The Annual Fund grew from $1 million in 1981 to $6 million in 2013. Similarly, the yearly gift income has grown from $2 million to $27 million in the same period. He also established over 400 new endowment funds for teachers, students and programs. The campus has undergone renovations and additions in Mr. Pond’s time, including two turf fields, seven dorms, the Koch Center, the Koch pool, and the Dewey squash courts. The significant renovations of the Main School Building, the Dining Hall, the Greer Store, and the Fitness Center would not have been possible without Mr. Pond’s efforts. How has Mr. Pond become such a successful fundraiser? “[H] is success is due to his loyalty to the school, trustworthiness, work ethic, discretion, and humility— and to his ability to develop meaningful relationships with alumni, parents and friends of the school,” Dr. Curtis said. John G. Knight ’83, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, said, “I’ve benefitted from his wisdom and positive attitude the most, and it’s wonderful to work for a person who has no ‘panic’ in him!” “[Mr. Pond’s] wise, patient, and personal approach, matched with his keen listening skills, account for his distinguished record as a fundraiser and educator,” Dr. Curtis said. She continued, “Few people have represented the school with such generosity of spirit, conviction, and grace as David.”

This summer in The Boston Globe , Deerfield graduate Whit Sheppard ’83 wrote about his story of sexual abuse by former DA faculty member Peter Hindle. Sheppard recently agreed to speak with The Scroll . Since the announcement of the abuse, Head of School Dr. Margarita Curtis has approached the issue with transparency, keeping students informed as well as using the incident as a learning opportunity. “We have adopted a new code of conduct,” Dr. Curtis said, “that requires employees to conduct themselves at all times with the highest standard of ethics and integrity and with the best interests of the students and the school in mind. The code explicitly forbids any romantic or sexual contact between adults and students.” Responding to these actions, Sheppard said, “I have been heartened to date by several aspects of Deerfield’s institutional response to the allegations I re-raised in June 2012 and by the school’s attempts to remain transparent throughout the process.” He continued, “My hope is that this straight-on approach will continue moving forward.” In addition to showing the need for clear boundaries in student-faculty relations, Sheppard hopes his story will have an impact on anyone who has ever been subjected to sexual abuse. His choice to reveal himself was intended to empower other victims to finally speak out against such injustice. “My story is really a proxy for other Deerfield boys who were also subjected to sexual advances from Peter Hindle during their time at the school,” Sheppard said. “These things do not happen in a vacuum and typically result in widespread abuse and victims. I chose to speak up and to attach my identity to my story in hopes of helping heal old wounds for myself and potentially for others as well.” Sheppard’s piece in The Boston Globe brought the issue of sexual abuse between teacher and student to the forefront, attracting nationwide attention. The story has sparked numerous responses from inside and outside of the Deerfield community. “The alumni responses have been universally supportive and kind,” Sheppard said about feedback. “I have heard from former faculty, classmates and alumni I’ve never met, and they’ve all had very nice things to say. Their support has meant a lot to me and reminded me that the world, and our alma mater as well, is full of good people who care.”

It’s no secret that seniority matters at Deerfield. It’s a power that can be wielded with grace, though occasionally one abused. With every passing year come covetable new privileges. Our seniors in particular have every reminder of their status at the top of the food chain, from the senior table to senior grass and the senior verse of the Deerfield Evensong. These privileges have been hard earned. It is a mistake to think that seniors’ earlier years at Deerfield simply “passed by”—they have been survived. And for this, our seniors merit respect. One of the greatest challenges we face as a community is the preservation of this respect. Of course, to deserve respect, seniors must constantly prove themselves worthy, and in this regard, our senior class still has some headway to make. When underclassmen trash the Greer and disrespect community members, seniors must not react with hostility towards the offenders, but with a sense of responsibility to the community to which they have committed themselves for three or four years. While underclassmen may not know better, these years have hopefully taught the seniors what is right and what is wrong, what is admirable and what is not. This is the heritage that the Deerfield administration loves to advertise, but that the student body, led by the senior class, truly upholds

There are three types of people in this world: people who do their summer reading, people who pretend they do and people who proudly showcase their procrastination skills while desperately skimming chapter titles and SparkNotes. Each group was represented at this fall’s Academy Event: Michael Sandel’s presentation of his book Justice . The hype surrounding this school-wide performance reached its climax during the grade-level discussions, the Connect4 dorm discussions, and the countless classroom debates over the infamous trolley conundrum. Emotions were running high the night of the culminating affair, and optimists voiced hopes that Sandel would deviate from the standard issue “TED Talks” lecture that mirrored a good chunk of the book that the majority of the audience had read. Alas, the majority of students acquainted with the book was sorely disappointed with the commercialistic, unoriginal points made in the first two-thirds of Sandel’s talk. We here at The Scroll feel that any one of our capable teachers could have engaged the school on a deeper level and with a more concrete grasp of the ethical dilemmas that whittle away at our society. We urge the Deerfield student body to be grateful for the incredible teachers, peers and community members who help us understand what is the right thing to do.

Parietals. The word oozes innuendo, exclusivity and awkwardness. Teenage relationships and hook-ups are uncomfortable enough; throwing in a suspecting faculty member and giggling girls or boys yelling encouragement makes the involved parties (or victims) cringe with shame. Why all the pomp and circumstance? Why the romantic stigma around parietals? Why does the dorm feel so different, so much more laid-back, after curfew when all the couples clear out, the pajamas come on and the quirkiness of our student body can be heard through bursts of violent laughter in every dorm? Can we not mimic that casual vibe during parietals? The discussion around community hang-out spaces has been so centered on public areas that we may have forgotten the most quintessentially youthful hangout space of all: bedrooms. Taft’s student handbook contains the following clause: “The purpose of Interdorm Visitation is to allow students to visit friends of the opposite gender in a comfortable setting, analogous to visiting in the living room of a family home” (Taft School Handbook). Where is this emphasis in the Deerfield handbook, or more importantly, in the Deerfield lifestyle? The closest boarding school friendships are cemented in the dorm rooms we call home, so let’s stop treating them like sacred kissing ground.

Hi All, The first month of a school can somehow feel like both a whirlwind of excitement and an interminable grind. It always takes a few weeks to get into the swing of things, although much of life here becomes fairly routine right off the bat. It is so easy, especially during this time of the year, to become fully absorbed with life at Deerfield, and forget that a world exists beyond Main Street. I urge the community not to fall prey to this stereotype; stay informed on what’s going on outside of these “hallowed halls.” On a more serious note, I would like to address this new idea of a continuous community dialogue and recent emphasis on getting a moral education at Deerfield, as much as an intellectual or athletic one. I don’t mean to imply that these initiatives have not been goals in the past, but rather that this year they seem even more prominent. Why such a focus on “doing the right thing?” To what extent do the all-school reading of Justice and Sandel’s performance in the academy event account for the recent explosion of moral discourse? Is it the subject of justice that is motivating the conversation, or simply the appeal of being able to discuss something as a community? I urge you all to consider these questions and come up with your own opinions. Many students argue that Deerfield is changing too fast and that the school is losing some of the quintessential elements of tradition that make it such a special place. This is an area in which both communication and an understanding of justice and morality are key. As Deerfield goes through this process of modernization, sttudents must be able to feel comfortable and confident enough to share their opinions in any setting, so we can collectively explore notions of right and wrong. The suggestion of getting rid of Accountability Points, which are a fairly ingrained custom and huge part of student life, creates a real scenario in which we can apply our newly developed skills of communication and sense of justice to the Deerfield context. Finally, I would like to emphasize (as usual) that The Scroll is an open forum of discussion. What better way to instigate dialogue than with a piece of writing that reaches the whole community? I, for one, couldn’t tell you. Sincerely, Charlotte Allen Editor-in-Chief

Upon arriving on campus earlier this fall, I immediately noticed the wooden utensils in the Greer and the Louis Café. How cool, I thought, how modern! The silverware made from wood seemed so stylish, and Deerfield seemed so progressive. However, the novelty quickly wore off, turning to disappointment as I discovered that they did not measure up to the potato spoons. The only thing that seems to be going for them is that they’re compostable, and maybe that they look cool at first glance. First and foremost, their utility is sketchy at best. Though the knife takes the cake in usefulness, the fork tends to have difficulty stabbing the food. When testing the forks by digging into muffins, I found that the muffins simply crumbled. It’s better to simply scoop food rather than fork it, which defeats the purpose of a fork. This leads me to my next point of study: the spoon. The spoon does its cupping pretty well. However, when placed in hot liquid, it loses its form and turns more into a type of paddle. It would be more useful as an oar for a mouse. Aside from utility, they’re pretty uncomfortable to use. They don’t glide smoothly into one’s mouth. I liken the sensation to nails upon a chalkboard. Many people have expressed concern over getting splinters, a valid fear. A worried student recounted the time that a spoon nearly broke in her mouth. The aftermath could have been disastrous. A member of student council said that the utensils are “threatening the welfare of the student body.” He wishes to remain anonymous. Most depressingly, they make the food taste like wood. I always feel like I’m eating from a stick, which isn’t completely false. A new student said she was looking forward to enjoying her froyo at the Greer, but was disappointed to find that her treat tasted like wood. Another student said she “completely understands the point of having compostable utensils; however, they taste like wood. I always have the aftertaste of a tree in my mouth.” A student in the Koch Center who was trying to enjoy her hot chocolate said it “was literally melted chocolate on wood.” The people have spoken. When I asked a faculty member to share his thoughts, he said, “I think these are First World problems, and we should be thankful that we live in such a wonderful world where we can get so angst-ridden over little things.” Touché. As for the splinter problem, he said, “You’re not supposed to eat the utensils.”

The Scroll Board would like to extend an invitation to the Deerfield student body, faculty and staff to share your opinions with us and the Deerfield community. To submit opinion pieces, please email adfleming@deerfield.edu with your proposed topic and viewpoint. Once approved, opinion pieces are due by 7p.m. on the Sunday of layout week (you will be told the specific date once your topic is approved). The style, subject matter and perspective of these pieces are completely up to the writer; we at The Deerfield Scroll respect freedom of the press and will do our best to publish as many orginial opinions as possible. -Andrea Fleming, Op-Ed Editor

From the moment a Deerfield post-grad steps on campus, he or she is simultaneously admired and feared. Post-graduates possess a certain aura of mystery, world experience and maturity that comes with a high school diploma. Freshman know them as the intimidating 20-year-olds, who are elevated even above the highly revered position of a senior. Seniors, at the same time hold a deep respect for post-graduates for having completed the high school experience. This persona can initially seem quite appealing, especially to any new student, yet the sentiment quickly wears off for PGs as they whirl back to what seems like the beginning of their high school career. Living at home with all the freedoms that come–driving a car, late weekend curfew, the ability to play hooky and a general sense of independence–is a stark contrast to the nitty-gritty rules and restrictions at boarding school. The AP system, stringent parietal rules and the severe disciplinary system can feel alien. PG Justin Finan ‘13 stated, “The transition was incredibly difficult, coming from home where I could basically do whatever I wanted… to Deerfield where it seemed like I was back to being 14 years old and a freshman.” This seems to be a common theme among post-graduate students and a likely cause of the many DC hearings in this bracket. I tend to sympathize most with those students who end up on the opposing side of the deans, based on the absence of an understanding of Deerfield expectations and a way to cope with them. The contrasting dichotomy between life at home and life at school, in extreme cases, makes the Academy seem like a prison. So next time you envy a PG, consider the possibility that he or she might feel more trapped and isolated at Deerfield than you do. A friendly word instead of a frightened stare goes a long way when interacting with our revered post-grads.

The term “school spirit” is tossed around a lot at Deerfield. This expression is unsurprisingly overused because school spirit is something we care about and pride ourselves on as a community. It is one of the fundamental elements of our school that has flourished throughout our history. School spirit can’t be faked. It requires a foundation of strong classes of kids dedicated to a sense of togetherness; it requires collective and relentless energy, and most importantly, it demands unity, both on and off the field, floor or wherever else we play. This year, we have the chance to hit the reset button after a sub-par year of athletics. Sure, there were some bright spots last year, but I think it’s fair to say that 2012-13 wasn’t our strongest sports-wise, if only because we hold ourselves to a very high standard. Athletic slumps come and go, but school spirit should not. It must prevail through thick and thin, supported by the generations that built and sustained it with an unshakable unity. Whether we’re watching thirds basketball shoot for its first win of the season or (inevitably) the varsity lacrosse team secure its third victory in a row, there should always be a palpable energy in the stands. Duke basketball is a top-flight example: in 2007 the Blue Devils didn’t live up to their preseason ranking of 2nd in the nation in men’s basketball and stumbled to a 21-11 record, suffering a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament. Despite their woes, the Duke fan section at Cameron Indoor Stadium, or the “Cameron Crazies,” as they are called, stayed faithful. Every home game was sold out that year and the year after, despite a big underachievement on the team’s part by usual Duke standards. I would never dare call myself a Duke fan, but watching Duke come play Virginia in Charlottesville, I can say that their student section, even at away games, is unmatched. I know Deerfield has this kind of potential, a potential we could fulfill if only we took the time to support each other consistently, regardless of the score. Walking into the Choate basketball gym on the Saturday before winter exam week last year reminded me of the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Our rivals had a few hundred fans decked out in the Choatie standard—sunglasses despite being indoors, a soggy New York Knicks basketball jersey, baggy sweatpants and untied Timberlands—for a JV basketball game.[pullquote_right] “Athletic slumps come and go, but school spirit does not. It prevails through thick and thin, supported by the numerous generations that built it and sustained it with an unshakable unity.” [/pullquote_right] These people-turned-animals were equipped with blow-up batons that combined for a relentless vuvuzela effect during the game. They weren’t there because they wanted their team to win; they came because Deerfield was their opponent, and they wanted us to go home feeling bad about ourselves and our school. While the batons were noisy, obnoxious and just unnecessary—all Choate norms—their student section pointed out an obvious flaw in our own. Rarely do I see the kind of dedication from our own fans that I saw at Choate that night. Sure, we show up when we’re supposed to: 80’s Night in the Barn, the Avon football game, some varsity lacrosse games, and Sam Khalifa’s exhibition squash match are all testaments to our rowdiness. But if school spirit is something that we want to pride ourselves on, we should reach this level of enthusiasm for any athletic contest. Of course games against Choate, Andover or Hotchkiss might attract more attendance than others, but we should be able to go unleash our pent-up energy from schoolwork and support our friends at every single game, no matter who the opponent is. The class of 2014 has a chance to make it happen this year. We can sit back and pretend we support each other, or we can rise to the occasion—but we all have to do it together. Every student section has its leader—Duke, for example, had “the speedo guy,” who danced in a blue speedo while opponents were shooting free-throws. But especially while the fate of Captain Deerfield is in flux, we have to remember that it takes a mob to make mayhem. We need to show up and be loud not because that’s how it’s been for generations or because it’s cool, but because we support each other as a student body, and because we all know how good it feels to have someone behind us. The term “school-spirit” seems a little hollow after hearing it so many times. Maybe we should figure out a name for our student section like “the dog house” or “peep-show” or something. Frankly, anything works, as long as we get up and go after it.