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Benedict XVI officially resigned as pope on Thursday, February 28, 2013, marking the first time in nearly 600 years that a pontiff has retired. After his announcement on February 11 of his intention to resign at the end of the month, a conclave was quickly scheduled to elect a new pope in time for Easter Sunday on March 31. The 1.2 billion Roman Catholics of the world welcomed Pope Francis, a former Argentine cardinal, on March 13, 2013. He is not only the first pope to take the name Francis, but also the first non-European pope of the modern era, the first from Latin America, and the first Jesuit pope. Benedict, 85, explained his resignation with the statement: “My strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” Pope Benedict’s stepping down has been a surprising turn of events for many bystanders, as he was extremely unwilling to let anyone resign while he held the title of pope. The most infamous example is Ireland’s Cardinal Sean Brady, who requested to resign after admitting to allegations of covering up the pedophilic activities of Father Brendan Smyth. Benedict refused to accept his resignation, and Brady remains in office today. For Caroline Wagner ’14, Benedict’s resignation was shocking for another reason: its symbolism. “[Benedict’s resignation] can be considered a rejection of the entirety of the Catholic Church, which looked to him for guidance these past years,” Wagner said. “Now we are to believe that he is unfit [for the job], and probably was while he held the position of Pope.” Mr. Ben Bakker, leader of the Deerfield Christian Fellowship, had a different perspective. “Sometimes, in a life of faith, there are just times for change in leadership,” Mr. Bakker said. “[Benedict] may have decided that his calling, [according to] God, was to step down.” Meanwhile, Pope Francis, 76, celebrated his first Easter Mass with notable stylistic differences from Benedict. Francis shared hugs and handshakes with the crowd as he crossed St. Peter’s Square in a vehicle unprotected by bulletproof glass. “What are you going to rank above hugging and being with people and being open?” Mr. Bakker said of Francis’ lack of protection on his way to the ceremony. “We often can’t reach out to other people because we are afraid of the losses that can come from it. I think it’s a great symbol for [Pope Francis] to say, if I die, I die, but I’m going to put reputation aside and get in touch with people.” Easter Mass was not Francis’ first deviation from tradition as pope. Three days before Easter Mass, on Holy Thursday, the pope visited a youth detention center in Rome to wash the feet of twelve detainees, among them two women. Some traditionalists believe that the twelve individuals whose feet are washed should reflect the twelve male apostles. “Biblically, Jesus was breaking down all barriers [that the Church authority had established at that time] in the name of serving and loving others around him,” Mr. Bakker said. “I think washing women’s feet is a sign [that Francis is] looking at church traditions more thoughtfully in terms of what Jesus was teaching.” Wagner also sees great hope in the new leader of the Roman Catholic religion. “I think Francis makes people excited to be Catholic,” Wagner said. “Now we have a figure that people admire as the head of our church. There is new light to look to, and I think Catholics everywhere are excited to begin a new era under Pope Francis. Those who aren’t Catholic have a new respect for our church as we are returning to our original values and revitalizing the church.”

An inpendent legal firm hired by the Academy has recently concluded its investigation of the allegations against Peter Hindle, Deerfield math teacher from 1956 to 2000. The investigation confirmed statements against Mr. Hindle as well as accused Bryce Lambert, another former teacher in the English Department from 1952 to 1990, of similar behaviors. Deerfield considered it a moral obligation to handle these allegations with transparency, to pay respect to the victims and acknowledge the difficulty of revealing such a difficult experience. Following the letter released on the Daily Bulletin, in print and on other social media sites on January 28, Deerfield issued another on March 30, explaining Deerfield’s reason for openness concerning Lambert’s and Hindle’s indiscretions. “A lack of disclosure of inappropriate behavior can allow individuals to maintain positions of responsibility where they are a threat to children or, as in this case, to be venerated despite their past actions,” the second letter said. Head of School Margarita Curtis commented, “On a very concrete level, sexual abuse victims will say that unless you name the perpetrator the healing process cannot start, because then it still feels like you are only revealing partial truths. Transparency is crucial for the healing process of any victim, coming forward and saying, ‘This did happen.’” These allegations have aroused media attention, and both Dr. Curtis and Mr. Thiel have received considerable response from numerous alumni who respected and revered both Mr. Hindle and Mr. Lambert. “It is difficult because we are talking about significant people who contributed a lot to the school, and who also did a lot of good, but it’s not the complete picture,” Dr. Curtis said. “We are not denying all the good things, but this other aspect [of misconduct] is also true.” Deerfield’s comprehensive investigation has led to several conclusions. “Once the school becomes aware of transgressions, our role is to find out exactly what happened, and then to create a safe environment for everyone to come forward,” Dr. Curtis said. “That has been the primary purpose of the first and second letter, to admit that mistakes were made and support the victims in any way we can.” According to the letter, previous reports had been made against Mr. Hindle. Given Mr. Hindle’s denials and highly revered status, the administration relied solely on verbal and written warnings. “However, we do not think the ‘standards of the day’ argument exonerates the Academy or any individual, primarily because this view ignores the plight of the victims,” the letter said. “As painful as this process has been, we believe that disclosure and a public apology is the only responsible action. The healing process of the victims has been, and will continue to be, our overriding concern.”

For the past twenty-five years, Martha Lyman has been a pivotal part of Deerfield students’ college processes. This year, she will step down as Director of College Advising to work on a new project that will influence the community as a whole. Ms. Lyman will turn next to designing a summer school program with Head of School Margarita Curtis, just downstairs from her current office on the second floor of the Main School Building. They, along with a team including Dr. Hills, who will be pioneering this summer’s science institute, hope to open the program in the summer of 2015. Next year Ms. Lyman will spend her time researching and creating the summer program. “We want to design something that is distinctive and not just another summer school,” Ms. Lyman said. Ms. Lyman emphasizes that college is not the focus of her burgeoning program. “I hope that young people don’t feel pressed to organize their lives for the sole purpose of being admitted to college,” she explained. “The job for high school students is to develop themselves. The more developed you are as a person, the better college candidate you will be.” Ms. Lyman’s enthusiasm for individual exploration is mirrored in her work with her advisees. According to Vanessa Chu ‘13, “As an advisor, Ms. Lyman has always encouraged me to discover different academic and co- curricular interests, not only for the college process, but to explore my potential. I believe that she will be able to establish a very reputable program that can certainly motivate students to have a better understanding of themselves.” Deerfield students and recent graduates may find opportunities to be involved with this summer session. “There is every reason,” Ms. Lyman said, “to think that we might depend on our students to set the tone for the summer by being proctors, or mentors, or classroom aides. Our students are one of our biggest resources.” Knowing the college world and international programs, as well as traveling around the world and working with students on many fronts, will enable Ms. Lyman to create a successful summer school program at Deerfield.

Dear Reader, Some serious congratulations are in order. First to you, the brave soul who has made the choice of picking The Scroll up from the floor or following the link in your email instead of tossing it into a recycling bin or condemning it to the world of cyber trash. Foremost, however, kudos goes to last year’s board who marked a change in the winds of Deerfield journalism. The 2012- 13 Scroll Board dove deeply into issues that had been previously untouched and swept under the rug. I plan on continuing the outgoing editors’ tradition of courageous reporting, and I commend them for a year more than well done. It takes some serious guts to talk about the big issues on campus, let alone publish them in print for the whole community to see. As Deerfield changes with the times, we at The Scroll have to adapt as well, and that is what I hope you will see within this issue. We applaud the school for being so transparent and open about the events that have transpired in the last few weeks and months. We also want to know what the student body thinks. The heart of the paper doesn’t lie in the basement of the Classroom Building, but instead is kept alive by every student and faculty member on this campus. There is nothing that we want to stress more this year than the importance of hearing your opinions and ideas. This is a student-run newspaper, so let’s keep true to the name! Sincerely, Charlotte Allen Editor-in-Chief

Many of The Deerfield Scroll Volume LXXXVIII’s board editors started out as editorial associates in Volume LXXXVII, and we owe much of our confidence and knowledge to the previous board. Though the previous editors were extremely dedicated to and concentrated on their tasks, they were always patient and eager to hand their knowledge down to us. Whether it was putting in the small details like copy edits, or discussing current events in our monthly Opinion/Editorial meetings, the previous board inspired us with their enthusiasm and dedication. The skills and expertise we have witnessed under Editor-In-Chief Kristy Hong’s leadership have given us the resolve to add our own ideas and flair to The Scroll. Taking over the printing of The Scroll will no doubt prove challenging, but we are optimistic that the innovation of the previous Scroll board will inspire us to create a thought-provoking newspaper for the Deerfield community.

In dealing with the accusations that former teachers Peter Hindle and Bryce Lambert engaged in inappropriate acts with students during their tenures at Deerfield, the school exercised a policy of complete transparency. The Scroll appreciates the administration’s efforts to keep developments out in the open, first with a school- wide announcement and then again with a follow-up post on the Daily Bulletin. This was an effective way to reduce rumors and speculation that would have surfaced had the news been kept under wraps. Though there is no doubt that what happened was a tragedy, most current Deerfield students seem to be generally unaffected by the news. Because most of us never knew either teacher involved, it does not have much of an effect on our day-to-day lives. Our loyalty to Deerfield has not at all been shaken by what happened decades before we arrived, and we trust that Deerfield teachers already know the boundaries between what is appropriate behavior towards a student and what is not. We feel safe with our teachers and do not worry about a similar incident happening again. In addition, The Scroll supports the school’s decision to rescind various tributes that had been paid to the former teachers, notably the Hindle squash court, the Lambert fellowship and the Lambert fund. In a February interview with The Scroll , Dr. Curtis stated that she wanted to use this as a learning experience for training future faculty. We applaud her for this and are reassured by her.

In light of the recent Supreme Court cases on same-sex marriage, The Scroll would like to formally state our support of gay marriage. In the past, The Scroll has adopted a pro-gay-marriage bias, but we now believe that an official statement of support is necessary in the current climate. Arguments for and against gay marriage have been articulated not only by the media, but by the United States Supreme Court Justices, guardians of the Constitutional rights of American citizens. The Scroll feels that same-sex marriage has become an issue of civil rights; in fact, many parallels can be drawn between the movement for gay marriage now and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. We believe our generation takes tolerance and acceptance for granted. Many of us have grown up in homes and societies that unquestionably accept gay marriage; sadly, that is not the case for most of America. The Scroll recognizes how lucky we are to live in a community that supports the rights of all citizens, regardless of distinctions such as sexuality. It is difficult to imagine the kind of opposition to gay marriage that permeates societies around the country and around the world. We at Deerfield must always remember how fortunate we are to live in such an accepting community, and so. The Deerfield Scroll states its full support for gay marriage.

Peter Workman, Deerfield Class of 1956, died this past Sunday at age 74. After graduating from Yale University, Workman founded Workman Publishing in 1967. He created the Workman Grant, a community service grant that offers between $200 to $1,000 to Deerfield students to do service projects in their hometowns or through service programs. In addition, Workman’s family sponsors a school meeting about service every year at Deerfield, including this past fall, when Col. Jack Jacobs, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, presented at a school meeting. Deerfield will greatly mourn the loss of Peter Workman, and we extend our sympathies to his loved ones and all who had the privilege of knowing him. * The Scroll has allowed contributers to remain anonymous because of the sensitive nature of the Hindle situation.

Yes, I knew Mr. Hindle very well. I got to know him because he was the dorm master where most of my close friends lived, so I spent a lot of time on his hall. My friends and I thought he was great. I used to go to Mr. Hindle for help on my math homework because he not only taught me the material, but made it interesting as well. He inspired me to pursue math and sciences in college. As far as how the school is handling the situation, they are taking the appropriate actions. This is a tragic situation since Mr. Hindle was an inspiring teacher to so many students. However, these actions that have come to light must not be ignored, no matter how well respected Mr. Hindle was. Deerfield is appropriately bringing this to the attention to students and alumni, regardless of the tragic nature of the situation. By a member of the Class of 1980* I graduated from DA in 1986. I knew Mr. Hindle mostly through soccer. I never had him as a teacher. He was well respected as a teacher and school leader; that being said, I was not surprised by the report. I also knew Mr. Lambert–he was my dorm master and very well regarded as an educator, but again, I was not surprised by the report with regard to his behavior. There was a lot of inappropriate behavior at the school during the years I was there. I am glad to see the school is addressing this issue, even after all these years. I think the school is doing the best they can and being as transparent as they can be. By a member of the class of 1986*

A typical conversation about secret societies: “Man, it’s so cool that Alex is in the Geese.” “What about geese?” “The Geese. Come on, it’s only the most exclusive secret society on campus.” “Uh-huh. And how do you know Alex is in it, if it’s so secret?” “Well duh, everyone knows who’s in the Geese.” “Doesn’t that make it more of a society, then? Like, without the ‘secret’ part?” “…” “Anyway, what do the Geese do?” “Well, in the yearbook, they all take a picture making geese noises!” “… And?” “What?” “Well, what else do they do?” This is the point in the conversation when your friend stares awkwardly to the side, wishing that you hadn’t realized that, really, secret societies don’t do anything. In fact, as you watch your friend search for different ways to emphasize the importance of “exclusivity” and “secrecy,” you start to realize that secret societies are pretty pointless. As I understand it, secret societies are elite clubs that pride themselves on choosing members of one race and socioeconomic class and supporting outdated Victorian ideals. Their initiation requirements, which change around every year, are generally juvenile and sexist. And no matter whom you ask, the importance of the secret society is always “its exclusiveness.” Some Deerfield grads have described secret societies as preparation for college fraternities and sororities. That sounds true enough, except that secret societies don’t have announced events, a house or participate in community service, or offer mentoring. Plus, the Deerfield secret societies definitely aren’t exactly something to put on your college application. So why even bother with secret societies? As far as I can tell, they only exist to give a small group of people an arbitrary reason to feel superior to the rest of the school. As a friend of mine concisely put it, “there are other ways to make lasting memories than being part of an exclusive group of people that really, in the end, mean nothing.”

I think that though secret societies exist on campus, they are not a vital part of the Deerfield community or lifestyle. However, I do believe they are a tradition for both guys and girls on campus. I find them to be sort of like the brotherhoods or sisterhoods in college, where only certain people make it, but it doesn’t really affect those not included. Recently, the topic has come up more frequently, and only few have expressed contempt for these select societies because of their exclusivity. Nonetheless, I don’t find their “exclusivity” to be a problem solely because what they do has no effect on the community, if in fact they do anything at all. To call them exclusive is to call every college fraternity and sorority in the country exclusive. In the beginning, I can see why the administration would’ve been worried because the founding values of these societies are very troubling and extreme. But I think it is safe to say those values have evolved, and with the open-minded and kind-hearted people that can be found in the community today, I think we can all agree that these societies are no harm to the community and Deerfield culture. The administration’s newfound interest in breaking up these groups, I feel, is something of a waste of time. There are bigger issues to worry about. The administration is purposely targeting people who aren’t doing anything wrong–and to be quite honest are these groups even secret anymore? To the student body secret societies have become such a common topic of discussion that most have formed some idea of who’s in these groups and no one really cares. With little to no effect on the Deerfield community, these secret societies are harmless, and for this reason they should be left alone.