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On December 14, many members of the community lay down outside the Dining Hall in a “die-in.” A term unfamiliar to many, a die-in is a form of protest in which people lie on the ground in silence for a certain period of time. Die-ins have been taking place in New York, Boston, Washington D.C, and even at other boarding schools, such as Exeter and St. George’s. Garam Noh ’15, one of the organizers of the event, explained why she thought holding a die-in would be beneficial for Deerfield students: “The die-in was about creating an environment where people who were strongly affected by those events could feel like they have a place where they are supported at Deerfield.” In addition to addressing the issues surrounding the two shootings, Noh also pointed out that the die-in was a form of bringing awareness to campus: “When we’re here, we’re so far removed from the outside world that we can think everything is like Deerfield . . . I think it’s really important for people to realize that it’s not like that. The issues that we think are completely resolved here are still rampant in other parts of the country.” While some students may find themselves indifferent to the issues and controversy pertaining to the shootings, others in our community may feel deeply impacted by them. Students had varying opinions on the die-in. Many participated and found it to be a worthwhile event for themselves and the community. Yuri Lee ’15 said, “The fact that so many students joined in the die-in is particularly meaningful to the community as a whole . . . one person being proactive has a large impact on the entire community.” Gillian O’Connor ’17 said, “The die-in was an interesting way to express your opinion. It was very powerful.” However, other students didn’t participate due to their own views on the event and the issues surrounding it. Riker Bixby ’15, said, “I didn’t participate in the die-in because I didn’t feel like it would accomplish anything, besides getting me sick [due to the cold weather].” Nick Leone ’17, who also did not participate, said, “I didn’t think it would help me resolve any issues I had toward the Michael Brown incident.” Deerfield is definitely split on this issue, a fact that Noh noted as well: “It highlighted how divisive race issues can be in this community.”

Read Con: Deerfield Dorms Get A Makeover and Deerfield’s housing announcement . After hearing Ms. Creagh’s announcement at School Meeting concerning the new dorm arrangement on campus, I was shocked by the decision to make Johnson and Doubleday a “Freshman Village.” Johnson-Doubleday has since the beginning been a historically popular upperclassman-boys dorm on campus. Although some students and teachers alike feel the dorm is only popular in the community because of its reputation for drugs and drinking, many students there haven’t participated in any of these activities. Students I’ve spoken to say they appreciate the dorm because it allows for more freedom. When boys get the chance to live in Johnson and Doubleday their junior or senior year, they feel they have finally earned a bit more freedom on campus. Not only do upperclassman boys get to live in doubles or triples with their close friends, but the isolation of these dorms on campus gives upperclassman boys a portion of campus dedicated to them. Hearing Ms. Creagh’s announcement on Wednesday, I was initially against this proposal. I thought it might change the school culture too much. But after I began thinking about the situation a little more, I realized the positives that could result from this action. If the intention of this action is to increase school spirit and improve relationships throughout the grade levels, then this new dorm arrangement seems to be the only practical solution. Having all the freshmen live together in Johnson and Doubleday with roommates will force them to interact with one another and eventually develop strong ties with one another. Also, the all-sophomore dorms will make the new sophomore transition into the school community a little easier since the sophomores will, like the freshman, have to interact and become acquainted with their fellow sophomores. I understand that the biggest counterargument to this proposal is that students will stop associating with students from other grade levels if this plan goes through—but I don’t believe that’s true. First off, the Prefect position, for freshman, and, the Proctor position, for sophomores, will guarantee that underclassmen build relationships with seniors. Second, although students may be separated by dorms, students still have the chance to interact with one another in classrooms, during sports, at the Greer and during extracurricular activities, campus-wide activities, meals and during the weekends. Third, the upperclassmen dorm situation will remain the same: only the location will be different. Juniors and seniors will still be living with each other. The new dorm arrangement is simply switching the historically upperclassman side of campus with the historically underclassman side of campus. It may seem odd to those of us who have been at Deerfield for three or four years to think about Barton or Field as being dorms for seniors and juniors, but all changes seem odd at first. Soon many of us will forget that Johnson and Doubleday were ever the popular upperclassman boys dorms they presently are, just as many forgot that Scaife was a popular underclassman boys dorm or many have forgotten how the old Memorial Building looked. Change always seems scary at first because our minds have become accustomed to viewing things in a certain way. It will take time for us three- or four-year Deerfield students to grow comfortable with this idea, but this change is going to happen. So instead of thinking of the negative as I initially did, I encourage all students and faculty alike to think of the positives changes this new dorm arrangement could bring to our school culture.

When Deerfield Academy students returned from Winter Break, many noticed the black—and—white fliers featuring a simple, bold message—“The Fire This Time”—without any explanation. Director of Inclusion and Community Life Marjorie Young, a member of The Fire This Time management team, hoped the phrase would catalyze conversation. Indeed, speculation and discussion permeated campus. Soon afterwards, student explanations in a tell—all video on The Deerfield Bulletin revealed that The Fire This Time would open as an art exhibit celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Curated by Angel Abreu ’92, the collection, now up in the Von Auersperg Gallery, features the work of several renowned contemporary artists. Social and restorative justice themes unite the pieces. Mr. Abreu drew much of his preliminary inspiration from two books—The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander— both of which address race—related social, political and religious issues. Among the 14 works of art displayed, one may find a few particularly poignant—a Nazi sympathizer with a severely contorted spine, a photograph of a pensive Martin Luther King, and a seemingly ordinary log with piercing amber eyes. Mr. Abreu’s own Spin, a striking whitewashed canvas with slightly discernible headlines, stands alongside them. After studying philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, Mr. Abreu became senior professor at the School of Visual Arts in NYC and devotes his time to his art. When queried about his initial reaction to the project, he stated simply, “I was a little afraid and a little apprehensive [but] I’ve always believed that artwork is a teaching tool, and that’s really my intention with all this.” When he was only 14, the Museum of Modern Art purchased Mr. Abreu’s work through a collaborative called Kids of Survival (K.O.S), established in 1982 by Abreu’s former teacher, Tim Rollins. The organization seeks to unite artists and at—risk students to produce allegorical art rooted in canonical literature and music. “[K.O.S.’s] mission is to change lives,” Mr. Abreu remarked. “It all revolves around using art as a tool for transcendence.” “[The Fire This Time] is also about awareness and consciousness,” Abreu added. “Martin Luther King stood for activism. It doesn’t matter what your race is—MLK was not about that. He was about love, he was about transforming your community, about caring about each other. It’s about changing things one day at a time.” In an effort to evoke interest, stir conversation and involve the community, student members of the exhibit management team —Chloe So ‘15, Shaun Wang ‘15, Liam Gong ‘16, Rachel Yao ‘16 and Andrea Leng ’15—created a canvas in which they encouraged community members to answer an open—ended question: What is your fire this time? The group then added the board to the display, which debuted on Sunday, January 11. Mercedes Taylor, an art and language teacher at the Academy, and a core member of the management team, was elated by student involvement and interest, saying that the artists who attended the exhibit’s opening “were so impressed and touched, by the attendance, by the questions and by the warmth of the school. It [is] important to have everyone talking about it. I firmly believe that art doesn’t belong to a group of students who study art. It belongs to everyone.” Beth Byrne, another central figure who envisioned the exhibit, echoed Mrs. Taylor’s sentiments: “Art can be a catalyst for a lot of positive, motivating, and inspiring conversations—and action. The artists are shown all over the world, and we are so lucky to have some of this work here. It’s thrilling to have that quality of work on campus, and an honor.” “When the work is so strong, and it connects so beautifully to MLK day and beyond,” Ms. Byrne concluded, “there’s no stopping it.”

After the reconstruction of the Hess Center and revitalization of the arts programs, Deerfield is now turning its focus to athletics. Based on last year’s survey of students about facilities that needed the most improvement, the administration has decided to move forward in the plan to renovate the current 23-year-old ice rink and to build a new field house above it. After the plan was approved by the Board of Trustees, the school has begun to raise the $50 million dollars required for the three-year project. In last year’s survey students were asked to rate the listed campus facilities according to importance. With over 200 students at Deerfield taking the survey, the most popular priorities were a field house, a new ice rink, and a café on the dormitory side of Main Street. At least the first two choices are being incorporated into the recent campus master plan, which lays out necessary renovations and potential projects for the next ten years. A lead donor, who will stay anonymous, has contributed a substantial amount of the capital required for the field house and rink. If the schedule goes according to plan, the school will soon receive responses from several architectural firms currently reviewing the school’s needs and considering possible designs. After an architectural partner is chosen, the hands-on designing phase will take place next year, with construction the following year. If all goes according to plan, Chief Financial Officer Keith Finan estimates that the field house will be ready by the fall of 2019. Mr. Finan said, “The challenge for us is that we don’t want to start spending money until we know we can raise all the money. We’re at the point where we are confident we can, but we aren’t certain.” In choosing to move ahead with these plans, the Board of Trustees and administration have also won the approval of the many students who believe that the ice rink would be a good use of money. Ethan Brand-LaBarge ’16 stated, “The rink is outdated, and should be redone at some point. The field house would help solve the issues of the crowding of the gyms and provide more training areas, while the hockey rink renovations would make hockey games more enjoyable as they are an integral part of Deerfield spirit in the winter.” Robert Mollo ’17, however, disagreed. “I don’t think it’s a good investment because there are so many other things that should be renovated that affect our daily lives. For one, we definitely need to modernize the Dining Hall while still maintaining its traditional roots.” For the past two years, preparing the rink’s ice has been difficult due to warm weather, especially without a system to prevent humidity from melting the ice. The Founder’s League now allows players to start practicing in September, but because the current rink cannot be made ready until October, Deerfield hockey players begin the season with a disadvantage. The new center will contain more up-to-date technology to ensure an earlier start. The school is also looking into building new hockey locker rooms to allow players to go directly onto the ice in skates rather than have to lace up at the rink, a feature that would streamline practices. Mr. Finan explained, “One of the things pointed out that was true among many of the coaches and among a majority of the students was the lack of an indoor practice space for outdoor sports.” Because the weather gets cold in late fall and doesn’t warm up until mid-spring, this center will provide a better practice environment for numerous fall and spring sports. Mr. Finan added, “What we are hoping to do is to minimize the disruption of the athletic schedules. One thing that is really hard to get is more practice time on the ice, so that’s why we’re also thinking of ways to provide temporary ice.” Despite the schedule changes necessary to accommodate this project, the Office of Operations, Board of Trustees, and Development Office believe that the results will be well worth the transition. And students can see that they are an integral part of defining and enhancing Deerfield’s facilities.

Sunday, February 22nd marks Deerfield’s first TEDxDeerfieldAcademy conference. Set to take place in the Wachsman Concert Hall from 2:00 to 5:30 pm, the event will give the community a chance to share and listen to “passions and experiences shared among the Deerfield members,” Haidun Liu ’15 said. “I feel as if there is a lack of recognition in certain aspects on campus,” Nahla Achi ’15, added. “Athletes are appreciated through athletic awards and contests, performers through performances, and students through academic success. However, random hobbies and interests aren’t recognized as much, and there aren’t many chances to learn about those pursuits.” Starting last year, three seniors, Haidun Liu, Nahla Achi, and Megan Retana ‘15, worked with Academic Dean Peter Warsaw to launch TEDxDeerfieldAcademy. According to its website, TEDx “is a platform for ideas worth spreading.” TEDx events are independently organized and allow people to experience this opportunity on a more local level. The conference will provide a space in which students and faculty can reflect on and share passions and lessons. In order to decide the theme of the conference, each table during a December sit-down meal was asked to brainstorm contenders. Afterwards, the planning committee noted the recurring ideas and determined which topic would best fit the community. “Time was an umbrella under which smaller matters could fit,” Mr. Warsaw said. “Time is very important at Deerfield since it’s the most precious resource we have.” Ellie Koschik ’17 commented, “It’s very interesting that time is the theme because people often don’t have time to stop and enjoy what’s going on around them. Delving more into the topic is one way to enjoy time.” The desire to host a TEDx conference at Deerfield has been around for several years. But it wasn’t until last year that Student Council designed a stage for members of the community to share hobbies, knowledge and fascinations. Starting last spring, Deerfield Talks were piloted to see whether or not a TEDxDeerfieldAcademy conference would be viable. “Deerfield Talks raised questions, discussion and awareness about the issues around us,” Retana said. “These kind of talks provide an outlet for student and faculty to share their intellectual pursuits and inspire others to put our education into action.” “When we realized that the Deerfield Talks were working out really well, we decided to apply for a TEDxDeerfieldAcademy license,” Achi explained. “We heard back from the TED company soon after, telling us they’ve accepted our license.” Since this is the Academy’s first year participating in a TEDx conference, the crowd is limited to one hundred viewers. In order to keep track of the audience, those wanting to attend have to “demonstrate interest in several sentences to Nahla Achi, Haidun Liu, Mr. Warsaw and me,” Retana said. “The application process seems necessary in order to narrow down the audience to those who truly want to be there,” Richard Park ’17 agreed. “By having students apply for a spot, it would ensure that the audience actually care [sic] about what is being presented and would benefit from the presentations,” Quentin Jeyaretnam ’16 added. However, not all were completely convinced of the need to apply. “The application process has diminished my interest in the conference,” Michael Wang ’18 said. “Having to write an application gives me a sense of false hope, in that I would have to put work into reflecting upon the purpose of attending the conference yet have a chance of not being able to go.” “It would work better if there was some sort of lottery process rather than an essay,” Kyra Kocis ’16 asserted. “That way, it doesn’t seem like an assignment or a chore but rather a [procedure based on the] simple desire to be part of the conference.” All presentations will be recorded and available on YouTube and the TEDxDeerfieldAcademy website so those can’t attend will all be able to watch the proceedings. If all goes well, Deerfield will be eligible to apply for a recurring TEDxDeerfieldAcademy conference license, which wouldn’t limit the number of audience members. Chi Kyu Lee ’16 concluded, “I hope the TEDxDeerfieldAcademy talk will encourage students to be more vocal about the community and their passions.”

Ellie Tennyson and Judy Delaney have worked together at the Louis Café since its opening in 2006. For Deerfield students, the duo has become practically synonymous with the cafe itself. “We like working together. We are a good team,” Judy stated. Before working in the Koch, they both worked in various locations on campus. Judy started in the kitchen and then moved to laundry, and Ellie started in the Greer and then started to work in the kitchen as well. “We didn’t know each other until starting here,” Judy recalled. Now the two of them work together every day. Ellie said, “Because we are seen coming and going together all the time, lots of people assume we are gay. We just live near each other so we carpool!” Running the cafe, Ellie and Judy spend a lot of time together; and like all great teams, they have their “quiet moments,” as Judy called them. “It’s a lot of work in a small space,” Judy said. Ellie added, “Sometimes when we get in a disagreement it’s just because we’re hungry!” Both their fathers served in the Air Force, and although Ellie has yet to confirm actual dates, she said, “At one point, I think that [our fathers] served together at Westover Air Force base in Chicopee and at Kollmorgan in Northampton.” Judy added, “My father worked in the flight crew and Ellie’s worked in the office.” Ellie and Judy each have two children. Ellie’s two boys are 30 and 21; and Judy has a boy and a girl, 26 and 24. When Ellie’s not on campus, she likes “to fish, bike, and garden.” Judy likes “to kayak and be outside,” and she also enjoys birdwatching. Judy added, “We both have vegetable gardens and we both don’t care for winter.” To the latter, Ellie nodded her head in agreement. “I’m looking forward to spring,” she said. She is eager to get back to her happy place, which is fishing on the river. Judy said, “Aruba is my happy place.” She continued, “I like to snorkel when I’m [there], but my closer-to-home happy place is Pittsburgh, NH. It’s on the border of Canada, and that is where I like to kayak.” As Ellie and Judy eagerly anticipate spring, they will continue to fend off the winter cold at home with their wood-burning stoves. At work they may even enjoy one of their Cafe specialities, like the Peppermint Hot Cocoa or the bestselling DA Bagel.

While a bus ride from Deerfield Academy to New York City takes approximately four hours, controversial social happenings take only an instant to spark discussions among Deerfield students. Yet for many students, discussions in and outside of classrooms are not enough, and the really important thing is to act on their social awareness and promote positive change in society. This would explain what motivated more than 6o students to express their interest in participating in the Greenfield protest and why the student leaders conceived the idea of going to New York City and Washington, D.C. That’s why these students were deeply disappointed when the school said, “Sorry.” A month has passed since the school’s decision was announced. While many students have tried to understand the reason behind this decision, some are still disappointed. “Truthfully, I understand why the school didn’t allow students to go to the protests. The school would have been liable if anything had happened to students, who are under their care, and many of those kinds of protests had the possibility to become a little dangerous. But it’s still very disappointing,” said Meghan Mozea ’15. But why exactly did the school arrive at its decision? When asked, both Head of School Margarita Curtis and Chief Financial Officer Keith Finan discussed the responsibilities of the school. Such responsibilities come in various forms, including both “supporting students’ interest in advocacy” and putting their welfare and safety as the school’s primary concern. These two types of responsibilities are not necessarily mutually exclusive, yet when one has to override the other, the school management opted for the latter. “I understand the concern the school’s response elicited,” said Mr. Finan, “But it is not a question of the Academy advising students to hold or not to hold peaceful protests in NYC, D.C. or anywhere else. The issue is whether or not students under the supervision of Academy faculty and/ or staff will be reasonably safe while engaging in any activity off campus.” When the prospect of a student-organized peaceful protest in NYC or D.C. came up, the school immediately started the process of risk assessment. “When the idea of sending students to NY and D.C. was brought to my attention,” Dr. Curtis explained, “I asked Mr. Finan, our CFO, to contact our travel safety advisory company, International SOS(ISOS), to solicit input from these experts in the field.” In the list of travel advice from ISOS was, “Avoid all demonstrations due to the potential for clashes between the police and protesters.” As Mr. Finan pointed out, most Deerfield students are legally minors, and the Academy has the obligation to safeguard its students’ welfare and safety. Hence, heeding the response of ISOS, the school made its decision with such obligation in mind. Despite her emphasis on the school’s top priority of keeping its students safe, Dr. Curtis made it clear that it is part of the school’s mission to “fully endorse freedom of speech and the development of civic values.” She added, “I think it is important for all students to be informed about what is going on in their communities, their country and the world, and to understand the historical underpinnings of current events.” Dr. Curtis encourages students to express their views through journalistic activities, Deerfield Talks, on-campus forums, etc.: “In short, [these students are free and encouraged] to seek ways to engage in productive dialogue on campus and beyond around these challenging issues.” On December 2, Director of Inclusion Marjorie Young and english teacher Eve Goldenberg led a forum on the Ferguson decision and aftermath. On the school’s decision not to allow travel to the NYC/D.C. protests, Ms. Young noted, “This decision was made in the interest of student safety. . . That said, I do not have issues with peaceful protest, or those kinds of activities. I think it is a good way for people to demonstrate their concerns… I like the momentum and spark that the students’ efforts have provided and hope that we will continue to sustain a community dialogue about these issues. My greatest hopes are that students will continue to talk and listen to each other’s views and perspectives, that there would be mutual respect and understanding, as that is what leads to a healthy and comfortable community for all.” Meanwhile, Ms. Young recognizes the importance of having a heightened social awareness. “It keeps us connected to important issues in our society and communities,” she said. “I don’t think it is possible to act on every issue, but there are issues that we have individual power to change, and in those instances. . . I do think that Deerfield students should actively lend their voices to social issues that they are passionate about. While it is easy to get involved when a topic is in the news, the challenge for all of us is to be consistent and vigilant about those issues daily.” When asked if Deerfield students have the obligation to act upon their social awareness, Ms. Goldenberg affirmed, “I believe we have an obligation, as citizens in a democracy, as members of multiple communities, to pay attention, to listen, to notice. And from that, because we can, we have an obligation to act as we can—to raise awareness through our conversations, through our concrete practices, through our voices and freedoms as human beings, not just those granted to us through law.”

Four-year senior Chloe So developed a passion for art at a very young age. Her parents enrolled her in classes ranging from baby arts and crafts, to Chinese paintings, to clay sculpting lessons. But as her schedule became busier, her parents urged her to stop taking so many art classes. She, however, refused and opted to juggle her many activities for the sake of art. With the exception of her freshman year, So has taken an art course every year at Deerfield: AP Studio Art as a sophomore, Topics: Post AP Studio Art as a junior and now Topics Tutorial. Her extensive contributions to the art program have allowed art teacher (and established artist) David Dickinson—or Mr. D. as most of his art students call him—to watch So grow and think as an artist. I really cannot thank Mr D. enough,” So declared. “My experience at DA, with or without art, would have been completely different without him.” “Little known fact,” said Mr. Dickinson, “is that a lot of Chloe’s work is done without the benefit of a grade.” So took AP Studio Art as a graded course for one term, a pass/fail course for two terms and then went on to take Topics again as a pass/fail course her junior year. Mr. Dickinson added, “I can tell that Chloe does art for the love of art, which speaks volumes to her dedication.” “He has been my rock,” So continued, “the countless hours he has spent ‘lecturing’ me on life, the different perspectives he gives me in art, and of course, the guidance he has given me to help me grow and think as an artist.” At Deerfield, So sees art as both a passion and a chance to ease her fast pace of life. “Doing art at Deerfield has really been a big part of me,” she explained. “It has given me the time and space to think and slow down a little.” She feels that with homework, sports, publications and general stress to manage, art can be a way for her to escape. “While I’m doing art here,” So continued, “while zooming in on the micro—details of the still life, my mind goes to a world of reflection. I think of my past, present and future, and I think this is really important as you can learn to appreciate what you have and use time to self-reflect and try to become a better person.” So is currently working on an independent art project that emphasizes the progression of the buildings around Albany Road: “Deerfield stresses traditions a lot, and for me, living in the 21st century, it’s to a certain extent hard to connect back to the Academy’s history.” So is exploring Deerfield’s growth as a school, focusing on the 1920s, 1950s and 1970s on respective panels. Although So has been working on it for several months now, the project is yet to be completed, but she hopes to have the project wrapped up by early spring. In the future, So hopes to expand her range in art. “Art is such a broad discipline,” she said. Currently, she hasn’t decided what type of art she wants to pursue. “Whether it is museum studies architecture studies, design, or even being a fine artist,” she concluded, “I want to use art as a medium to learn, explore and develop in college. Hopefully, I’ll be able to create something unique and impact people positively in the future.”

Recent racially-charged events have elicited varied responses from calls for neutrality, to apathy, anger, disappointment, helplessness, and determination to make change. The grand jury proceedings resulting from the killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York have caused great unrest across our country. In both cases, a white police officer killed a black man while on duty; both officers were not charged. Many protesters took to the streets in response to what they saw as ongoing racism. How can we be united as a country when black citizens live in fear of their own police officers? No members of were present during the Michael Brown or Eric Garner shootings. Biases in the media make it difficult to know exactly what happened in each situation, though some video exists. As high school students, we are not taught the finer points of law. Therefore, we cannot judge whether these specific proceedings were just or not. But feels these incidents are significant because of the much larger issue for which they stand. Racial prejudice in America is undeniably ongoing and undeniably unjust. These tragic situations have raised national discussion on how discrimination can be stopped. Our hope is that these discussions lead to action. Unfortunately, we have all been born during a time when prejudice can hurt every individual. Although one might feel removed from the recent problems and may choose to ignore them, he or she will constantly see, hear and face oppression in different ways. We all have faced some form of prejudice, no matter our race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other differences. Let us not fight each other, but let us unite and combat oppression itself. These events have raised awareness of the gravity of oppression in our country, and it will not stop unless we discuss thoughtfully and begin to take action. If we do not try to unite and battle the bigger issue, oppression will not go away. Let’s talk to each other, and learn to understand everyone better – as equals-so we can make our world feel safer, and more welcoming, for all people.

Read Pro: Deerfield Dorms Get A Makeover and Deerfield’s housing announcement . So why do this? The reasoning behind the changes is actually quite sound. There is a noticeable gender divide on campus, and that is the basis for dormitory repositioning and renovated common rooms. The idea is that with more areas for students to hang out other than in the Greer, the gender divide will begin to disappear, since the Greer culture is—as far as I can tell—a contributing factor to the gender divide. The second reason is reported issues with integration of new sophomores into their grade. New students find it difficult to integrate because as freshmen there are countless bonding experiences, most notably Camp Beckett. In an attempt to fix this imbalance, sophomores will live with fellow sophomores only, ideally to help the new students integrate better into their grade. The third reason given was to increase school spirit, which has seen a noticeable decline since I came to Deerfield in the fall of 2012. How the changing of the dorms will help to bolster school spirit is far more nebulous. Perhaps underclassmen living within their grade will help each class develop its own school spirit, but exactly how school spirit is to be mended is something that I have not been able to grasp. In any event, while these changes seem designed to fix legitimate issues on campus, they have the potential to create as many problems as they solve. The “Ninth-Grade Village” and the placement of sophomores with sophomores seem to pose the largest risk to me. But the idea of fixing the gender divide is a very valid goal. That being said, the sequestering of underclassman into their own dorms by grade presents the reality that freshman and sophomores will not have a chance to interact for two years, until they are juniors and seniors living together in the upperclassman dorms. Living with older students my freshman year, and younger ones my sophomore year, I was able to become very close with people outside of my grade, forming friendships I have maintained since living with these people. I believe that separating younger grades will create a new divide among the student body: a tangible grade divide. This divide will inhibit many meaningful friendships from being formed, friendships that have, in the past, helped younger students learn the social rules of Deerfield as well as understand Deerfield traditions. The hope is that proctors will fill this void, and teach their proctees what kind of school Deerfield is. It is clear, however, that all new students will miss an experience that I found to be very valuable in my time as a freshman and sophomore. Living with sophomores freshman year, I learned to respect older students and take their advice very seriously. That is not to say I followed older students blindly, but that I learned to consider every bit of advice given, and not to disregard people’s opinions because of their social stature. Then, as a sophomore, I and other students in my grade realized it was now our turn to help guide new students. I learned how to help the younger students patiently, and could do so well because I had asked the exact same questions and encountered the same kinds of confusion just the year before. While this is not officially recognized as being a leadership position on campus, this role that sophomores often play on their halls under the housing system as it now exists taught generations of Deerfield sophomores to be patient and helpful with younger students more unfamiliar with Deerfield. Furthermore, this experience left them more prepared to take on upperclassman responsibilities. I am sure that the radically different dormitory system is being implemented with the best of intentions, I cannot imagine that this is some sort of a reactionary change to anything else on campus than the issues of gender and intra-grade bonding. But I have decided, in the end, that while declining school spirit was a reason cited for implementing change, it does not seem to me to be a legitimate reason behind the new arrangements. It seems to me that changing dorm assignments will not directly improve school spirit. When I decided to write this article, I tried to consider and recognize the supposed reasoning behind the decision-making. And in the end, I support the two tangible reasons given for the changes, the gender divide and lack of intra-grade bonding. These are immediate and tangible issues on campus that need to be dealt with. I only wonder if there is not a more moderate way to begin to address these issues, one that does not carry with it massive potential to form new issues that will have to be dealt with, perhaps in similarly extreme ways, later on.

Recently, Deerfield’s administration shared plans for a new dormitory configuration, which the school will implement next fall. The changes include “a ninth-grade village,” all-sophomore halls and junior-senior brother-sister dorms in close proximity. During her School Meeting announcement, Dean of Students Amie Creagh indicated high hopes for the modifications: “With fully-bonded classes, more inviting and natural spaces—inside and out—for Deerfield boys and girls to spend time together, we feel confident that we’ll see a resurgence of school spirit. This new model will promote and nurture stronger connections to one another and a stronger connection to your school and the Deerfield sense of spirit that brought you here in the first place.” In this address—which was followed by additional emails to parents, alumni and prospective students—Ms. Creagh elucidated the new scheme. Ninth-grade girls will live in Johnson, and ninth-grade boys in Doubleday, allowing Crow Commons to serve as a “dedicated environment to build the program.” Freshmen will have roommates to “provide companionship and bonding opportunities to set them on a great start.” Meanwhile, sophomore housing will “help new students bond with their returning classmates more quickly.” Senior proctors will continue to mentor and befriend younger students on all underclassmen halls. Ms. Creagh believes a brother-sister dorm model, with renovated open common rooms and ample quad space between pairs, will promote “more natural and meaningful relationships” between boys and girls. Finally, single rooms will be more appropriate for upperclassmen as their studies become more demanding and time-consuming. Ms. Creagh described the decade-long process that Senior Staff undertook before deciding to implement changes: “For years, we have deliberated on how we can use our dorm configuration to enhance boy-girl connections. With more momentum and enthusiasm recently, we began an exploratory process . . . We tested theories by talking with other schools, [evaluating] their systems and conducting research among faculty. After meeting with deans, residents and the Dorm Council repeatedly, we received a groundswell of [encouragement]. Considering viability [regarding enrollment] and advisability, we decided that this model, with unanimous Senior Staff support, would be . . . the best model for most students.” Naturally, however, student reactions regarding the new configuration vary. Some share faculty optimism, while others hesitate to accept the dramatic changes. “At first,” Hollin Hanau ’18 said, “I was skeptical of the idea, worried how freshmen, specifically girls, would transition into Deerfield without sophomores to look up to and guide them. With time, I have started to see the [plan’s] benefits, and while there are flaws to it, there will be many [positives] as well. The freshmen class will build closer relationships, and I think the sophomores will too, if they are willing to embrace this change.” Speaking for many upperclass boys, Hill Kelley ’16 said, “My freshmen and sophomore years, I looked forward to having roommates, and being in a double has been one of the best parts of my junior year. However, the idea of putting freshmen in doubles has some shortcomings. If the roommates don’t get along, they will be unhappy spending time in their own rooms, and if they do get along they won’t be able to get any work done. Personally, I don’t think I would have had enough discipline as a freshman to get all of my work done with a roommate.” Many others fear that roommate pairs will lead to drama and disappointment, to which Ms. Creagh responded, “We will teach ninth-graders how to diffuse gossip and respect each other from the get-go, leading to better experiences in the future. . . [In addition,] we believe learning how to live with someone else is a valuable skill, but we’ll be very thoughtful about pairs, perhaps utilizing questionnaires. [Finally,] one roommate will attend supervised study hall in Crow Commons or the Garonzik, while the other has alone-time in their room. They will switch the following evening, giving all students quiet space.” Expressing her willingness to hear student feedback, Creagh will also create advisory groups to evaluate and respond to the change. Ms. Creagh concluded, “I am confident that this is the right thing to do.”