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September 2005Volume 25, No. 1, September 21, 2005 NEWS
IN BRIEF
International Quill and Scroll Society judges paperTHE DAYTIME wins the George H. Gallup Awardby A. G. For the second time in its history, THE DAYTIME has won the highest honors bestowed by the Quill and Scroll News Media Evaluation; the George H. Gallup award. Scoring 935 out of 1000 possible points in its evaluation by an anonymous judge from Quill and Scroll, News Media, THE DAYTIME scored “Superior Achievement” grades in all categories. “There are things you need to work on. But overall, with all that is present here, I have to say that this is one of the most impressive publications I’ve ever judged (and I’ve been doing it almost 20 years, and hundreds of papers.) The George Gallup award is rarely given to any schools, and is almost never given to middle schools. Founded in 1926 by Dr. George H. Gallup, Sr., the International Quill and Scroll Society is headquartered at the university of Iowa. Gallup is the founder of the world-famous Gallup Poll Organization. ***** Day students rally to help kids in gulf statesby A. G. and J. L. Day students have responded to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and begun to help the kids struggling in the Gulf states. THE DAYTIME is collecting money during attendance rooms all this month for donation to the American Red Cross. The purpose of this particular effort is to respond the immediate need for cash in the Gulf states. Very shortly Day’s Student Council will be announcing another relief effort. “If it becomes apparent that there are any other ways [besides the charity cans] we can help, then we will do so,” said principal Gina Healy. That this paper was in a position to begin a collection was a fortunate coincidence, according to senior advisor Robert Provencher. “The hurricane hit on Monday, August the 29th, and we began working on the edition you’re reading on Thursday, September the 1st. Since we were physically here, we were in a position to gather collection cans, and contact the Red Cross. We’re very sensitive to desire of other members of the Day community to aid with the recovery, and put the full resources of this paper at their disposal,” Provencher said. ***** Day students travel to Italy , Greece and Turkeyby B. H.-M. As school let out for the summer last year, select Day students traveled with Jade Team’s social studies teacher, Jack O’Connor, to Italy and Greece to expand their knowledge about ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. In 7th grade, students are taught about the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. This year, two groups of students were given a chance to see where the events they learned about took place. The groups toured many Greek cities, like Olympia, ancient site of the first Olympic games. Another was Epidaurus, famous for its theatre and its amazing sound system. They also saw the Capes of Sounion, where the ancient temple to Poseidon, the Greek and Roman sea god, was built. They spent the night in Tolo, shopping and eating Greek food. Another city they toured was Mycenae, home of Agamemnon’s tomb and fort. They also visited Athens, of course, where the famous Parthenon and Judgment Rock sit. Last was Delphi, ancient site of Apollo’s temple and the oracles. Students also cruised the islands of Mykonos, Rhodes, Patras, Aegina, Poros, Crete, Hydra, and Santorini (a volcanic island that erupted in the 1500s); visiting ancient monasteries, Rhodes’s ancient Medieval mansion, and Crete’s castle of Knossoss with the Labyrith. Students in the August group, not only visited the many cities and island of Greece, but also saw the Vatican, Rome, Pompeii, and a small port and bazaar in Turkey. In Rome, one of the first sites they toured was the Colosseum, world’s biggest ancient stadium and home of famous gladiator battles. Another site was the Spanish Steps, one of the only sites built by a Spanish architect. They also saw the Pantheon, an ancient temple showing the change from Roman polytheism to Christianity. In the Vatican, they toured the Sistine Chapel, painted by the famous Michelangelo, and the Saint Peter’s Basilica, Christian head church and next to the home of the Pope. July students L. B., A. C., J. G.-M., K. H., D. J., E. M., A. P.-O., Z. T., A. T., and A. W. really enjoyed the sites of Delphi, Olympia and Athens. At Delphi, students found that it was interesting to see where ancient people came for advice. At Olympia, students enjoyed seeing where the ancient people played games to honor the gods. Students finally enjoyed the Parthenon in Athens, where they visited the ancient site in person after learning about it during the school year. “We learned more about ancient times by visiting the ruins and it was fun because I was with people I liked and I met new people, too,” said A. C. August students S. D., C. E., B. H.-M., J. H., T. H. and A. M., out of all the sites they saw, liked Santorini, where students swam in a hot spring and rode donkeys down to the ferries. They also enjoyed meeting students from South Carolina and Canada. “We had a great experience and had a lot of fun learning more about the ancient history of Italy and Greece,” said S. D. “The people on the trip were awesome and they are what made this trip so fun!” [Assisting in the preparation of this article was J. G.-M.] ***** Outraged Day teens disagree with new mall policiesby E. E. and J. T. “I think it’s really stupid because it’s a public place, so kids should be allowed to hang out there if they want. Maybe instead they could allow kids on some days, but not on others,” said Green Team’s S. R., who expresses the opinion of many other F. A. Day students concerning adult supervision and the new rules for teenagers in area malls. Not a new concept in other states, several malls in the Massachusetts area have begun enforcing an adult supervision policy. In other words, teens and kids under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult to go in the mall on certain nights. The Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota is the United States’ largest retail/entertainment complex. With more than 520 world-class shops, this mall was the first to adopt the supervision rule in 1996. They require kids 15 and younger to be accompanied by an adult 21 years, or older, on Friday and Saturday nights after 6:00PM. “There should not be any kind of new regulations, but, depending on the situation, if the kids are rowdy, they should be told to leave the mall. “There should be security watching out for any offensive behavior whether the people are 16 or 76,” commented an 8th grade Day parent, who requested anonymity. The Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, New Hampshire has had weekend chaperone rules since April 2005. Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Michigan has not been allowing people under the age of 18 unless they are accompanied by someone 21, or older. This rule takes place every day beginning at 5:00PM. The mall hires adults who are already somehow involved with youth activities to supervise mall activity and ensure that all kids are accompanied by an adult. The Cincinnati Mills Mall disallows baseball caps worn sideways, or groups larger than three. "I don’t think it's fair because not all teenagers are bad. My friends and I just go there to shop, not intimidate other people," said S. P. on the Green Team. “I think that the new rule in malls is unfair because the mall is a great hang out place for teenagers all over, and taking it away would be taking away a fun place for everyone,” added Orange Team’s S. D. There are approximately 1,130 enclosed malls in the United States. More and more seem to be adopting some variation of new teen policies. Several Arizona malls have decided against this policy since most of their customers are unaccompanied teens. Business is business. Teenagers spend more than $100 billion per year and the majority go to a mall every month. So what is the answer? Are malls the best safe haven for teens to hang out or is there an alternative? The Deptford Mall, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has created a teen center inside a mall which has been working successfully since 1994. ***** Cindy Sheehan: fighting for what she believesby C. A.-L. The Iraq war has caused the deaths of thousands. Some believe that their sons and daughters died in a noble cause; others believe this war is pointless violence, and that it should be stopped. The cost of the Iraq war is more than 190 billion dollars, and it’s rising. There is a human toll, too, including American and enemy soldiers, and civilians killed. Among the American soldiers who have been killed was Casey Sheehan, a 24-year old army spc., who died in Baghdad's Sadr City on April 4, 2004. The soldier’s mother, Cindy Sheehan, spoke with President George W. Bush in June. She was among many other families to do so. Sheehan says that during the time of the meeting she was so distraught that she never asked the questions that she now wants answered. "I want to ask the President: why did he kill my son,” Sheehan told reporters. "He said my son died in a noble cause, and I want to ask him what that noble cause is." Bush declined Sheehan’s request for a second meeting. So Sheehan, who is co-founder of the anti-war group Gold Star Families for Peace, led an anti-war march of about 50 demonstrators to within a few miles from Bush’s ranch. Shortly after the march, Joe Hagin, White House deputy chief of staff, and Stephen Hadley, national security adviser, met with Sheehan for about 45 minutes. Sheehan says they gave her the traditional, party line of why they were in Iraq, and she told them that she thought that they didn’t really believe that. Then Camp Casey was born: A camp site of about 100 anti-war supporters a mile or so outside Bush’s ranch. Creola Frye, one of the residents of Camp Casey, said that during the day there are 200 or more people at the camp, and over the weekend that number swells to upwards of 1,000. Reacting to the Sheehan protest, the President told reporters that, while it was important for Cindy Sheehan to express her grief about her lost son, it was also important for him to, “ get on with my life.”1 On the 17th of August, 2005, THE DAYTIME went to Crawford, Texas to check out the camp. Physically, Camp Casey consisted of a few tents and tarps set up on the side of the road, and a bunch of peace signs. Many people sat in lawn chairs talking. Most of them were also making peace signs. 3 police officers were guarding the entrance to Bush's ranch. It was 101 degrees and there was no shade. Across the big road sat one lone tent, with 3 people and a dog huddling underneath it. A small sign next to it read "Pro War." The most striking thing about Camp Casey was not found inside it, but all around it. Along the side of the road, for as far as the eye could see, were small white crosses. Every cross bore a rose, and written upon each cross was a name. This was the camp’s memorial for the soldiers who had died in Iraq. Calvin Wehrle, a protester at the camp, talked to THE DAYTIME at length about Camp Casey and its possible repercussions. He said that, at the very least, the camp was creating “A serious awareness that questions need to be answered.” Wehrle also said that “The police have been very polite.” All in all, he can only remember one incident. This was when a man came to the camp and ran his truck through all of the crosses. He was caught, but Camp Casey will most likely not press charges: the general message of the camp being a non-violent protest. But, according to Wehrle, there have been certain inconsistencies in the treatment of protesters in Crawford. Whenever pro-war activists come to challenge the camp, they are allowed to walk anywhere they want, whereas camp residents and visitors are forced to stay on the opposite side of the road from the Bush Ranch. If they even stray onto the road they are told firmly, but politely, to get back onto the roadside. “Seems like there are two different freedoms,” said Wehrle. Cindy Sheehan herself is tall. She is also friendly, and granted THE DAYTIME an interview. When asked what teens can do to support the anti-war movement, she said that knowledge was the answer. She said to download as much information as necessary to understand the war. Sheehan also said that school peace clubs are a good idea, as is counter recruitment (telling people the truth about the war). When asked what she hopes the effect of Camp Casey will be, she said, “The troops will come home sooner.” Sheehan was very busy at the time of the interview, and those were all the questions time allowed. However, as she was walking away, she turned back, and said: “It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, it’s about democracy.” Next THE DAYTIME reporter traveled the four miles back into Crawford (population 705) to visit the Crawford Peace House, one of over 200 peace houses across the United States. Though not directly connected to Sheehan’s camp, it does provide it with financial and physical support. For example, it provides food for the protesters at Camp Casey and a shuttle van to bring visitors from Crawford to the Camp. Kay Lucas, one of the directors of the Crawford Peace House, is a very strong supporter of the antiwar movement. She told THE DAYTIME about the Peace House, about how it was founded on Easter Sunday 2003 by Texas Quaker peace activist Johnny Wolf. Apparently the House had only a few hundred dollars left in its account when Camp Casey opened, bringing in new donations from people across the country who supported Cindy Sheehan’s protest against the war. The only reason they had money in the first place, Lucas says, was because of a “Fahrenheit 9/11” premier that they hosted out on the football field of a nearby school. They also gained some cash flow by staging some guerrilla theater at Bush’s Barbecue, when all of his rich business friends were coming over for lunch. The Peace House erected a giant, inflatable White House along the side of the road, with a banner reading “White House for sale at 2:00.” I asked her why she was involved in anti war work; “I am doing this for my granddaughters,” Lucas said. Also at the Peace House, there was a Human Shield from Iraq. The Human Shields were a group of people who went to Iraq in late 2002, early 2003 in hope of stopping the U. S. from bombing the country. Much the way environmental protesters might lie down in front of a bulldozer to stop a forest being cut down, the Human Shields in Iraq refused to leave the country, placing themselves in hospitals and other civilian public buildings and letting the U. S. military know that if they bombed, they would be killing American citizens. The U. S. bombed anyway, though not at the targets the Human Shields were protecting. Judith Karpova, the Human Shield in question, told THE DAYTIME about her experiences there. She spoke of her friends helping the parents of Iraqi children search for their sons and daughters in the piles of bodies. She spoke of them carrying the limbs and stacking them in heaps on the ground. She’s writing a book about her experience; it’s called SPEAKER OF STONE and, though she hasn’t yet found a publisher, she is confident it will be published soon. As one of the protesters at Camp Casey said, “It’s important for teens to be concerned. Your generation will inherit the war.” 1 According to CNN ***** Steve Glidden Foundation will hold fundraiser for children in needby A. C. and M. W.
The Steve Glidden Foundation (SGF) is holding its annual community yard sale/bottle can drive on Saturday, September the 24th, 8AM to 3PM at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Newton, 675 Watertown Street. The foundation has been holding this event yearly, since 2001. The money raised will go to summer camp scholarships and health care assistance for children who are victims of domestic violence, refugee children, and homeless children. Volunteers for this event can sign up by calling 617-527-0172 or e-mailing sgf@thestevegliddenfoundation.org. The foundation will be accepting good quality, working items for the yard sale, on the following days: • Friday, September the 16th from 4PM - 8PM; • Saturday, September the 17th from 10AM - 3PM; • Sunday, September the 18th from Noon to 5PM; and, • Friday, September the 23rd from 4PM to 8PM. The foundation says that they can only accept furniture and heavy items on Friday the 23rd. Named after Steve Glidden, one of four Newton Public School students who was killed in a bus crash on a music trip in Canada on April 27, 2005, the SGF has raised over $300,000, since its creation in June 2001. They plan to expand the camp scholarships each summer and eventually raise $1 million dollars to endow this program. To learn more about Steve Glidden go to www.stevegliddenfoundation.org. Remember, every penny helps. ***** Tom Gordon: fighting for what he believesby J. L. Today, one controversial topic is the war in Iraq. Mention of the war evokes strong reactions both for and against. Accompanying this article is another in which this paper presents an exclusive interview with anti-war activist, Cindy Sheehan. One former Day student has a different point of view. Tom Gordon is currently a Major in the U. S. Marine Corps. Though he grew up in Newton, where his parents still live, he now resides in Tampa Bay, Florida.
DAYTIME: What is your role in the Marines? Major Gordon: I am a major right now. I’m working in Central Command which is a group in charge of the war on terrorism in the Middle East. DT: How do think the war in Iraq will affect American children? MG: I think that when American children grow up, the Middle East will be dramatically different than it was when I was growing up. Hopefully Democracy will be introduced in the Middle East. DT: What are your views on the war in Iraq? MG: It’s been a very tough fight. However, we have been making progress, even though the progress is slow. DT: Do you have any advice for kids at Day Middle School? MG: To read and try to get outside of Newton to explore the outside world. Take any chance you can to go overseas and to learn about countries. There is a whole world outside of Newton that should be appreciated. ***** The facts on American Historyby S. S. THE DAYTIME recently spoke with social studies teachers here at Day about the threat that American History is facing at the middle school level. They provided answers to some of the key questions about this issue: Q: Why is there a danger of AH being removed from the 8th grade curriculum? A: The state allows each city to decide how to sequence its social studies curriculum, and in what grade to give the state-supplied AH MCAS test. In Newton’s current sequence, Geography is taught in the 6th grade, World History in the 7th, and AH in the 8th grade. Although some of the AH content was covered in 5th grade it is now revisited in 8th grade. Students’ focus is on economic and political AH, or what one teacher referred to as “more conceptual” understanding. In 9th and 10th grade, World History is covered, and students return to the United States again in their junior year, in a more traditional survey course. This is one of four options the Department of Education has to sequence the social studies curriculum. The following plans, or “pathways” options are as follows: Pathway One: Grade 6: Contemporary World Geography Grade 7: Ancient History Grade 8: World History I, 500-1800 Grade 9: US History I, 1763-1877 Grade 10: US History II, 1877-2001 Grade 11: World History II, 1800-2001 MCAS test given in 11th grade Pathway Two [current sequence]: Grade 6: Contemporary World Geography Grade 7: Ancient History Grade 8: US History I, 1763-1877 Grade 9: World History I, 500-1800 Grade 10: World History II, 1800-2001 Grade 11: US History II, 1877-2001 MCAS test given in 10th grade Pathway Three: Grade 6: Contemporary World Geography Grade 7: Ancient History Grade 8: World History I, 500-1800 Grade 9: World History II, 1800-2001 Grade 10: US History I, 1763-1877 Grade 11: US History II, 1877-2001 MCAS test given in 11th grade Pathway 4: Grade 6: Contemporary World Geography Grade 7: Ancient History Grade 8: World History I, 500-1800 Grade 9: US History I, 1763-1877 Grade 10: US History II, 1877-2001 Grade 11: World History II, 1800-2001 MCAS test given in 10th grade Newton schools currently follow Pathway Two. Evidently, if the curriculum switched to a different Pathway, AH would be removed from the 8th grade curriculum. Nearby towns such as Wellesley, Lexington, Weston, Wayland and Needham have no plan to move AH to a later grade, says one source. Furthermore, THE DAYTIME has learned that almost every state in the nation teaches AH at the middle school/junior high level. Q: What are the disadvantages of moving AH from the middle school? A: World History I would be taught in its place. This curriculum covers topics from “The Medieval Period in Europe to 1500”, to “The Encounters Between Christianity and Islam to 1500”, to “The Origins of European Western Expansion and the Civilizations of Central and South America”. World History I covers 10,500 years of history. Middle school has been described as a time for students to be taught in “depth” instead of “breadth.” This means that students delve deeper into the conceptual area of a subject. The 8th grade focuses on organization, test taking, reading comprehension, and writing. Our source said there is “no way” every student could retain that much content. The state allows each town to decide when to administer the AH MCAS exam. A potential problem with this is that if the test is given in the 11th grade (as with Pathways One and Three), students will not find out their grades until the following year; thus, if one fails, one must rush to pass the test. However, if the test is given in 10th grade, students have two years to make it up. A passing grade is a prerequisite for graduation. Budget-wise, switching to a new Pathway would cost the school system an inordinate amount of money. They would have to buy new textbooks for both grades, as well provide instruction for teachers (who have never taught the other subject). Money which, a Day social studies teacher told THE DAYTIME, “...the city does not have to spend to get the results we want.” Q: What can Newton taxpayers do to keep AH in the 8th grade? A: The K-12 Social Studies Committee consists of parent, teachers, and representatives from the Newton School Committee. Administrators and teachers will be discussing this issue in the Fall. Parents who wish to keep AH in middle school should contact this committee; Dr. Jeff Young, the Superintendent of Schools (617-559-6100); or write letters to local media (for THE DAYTIME’s contact info, see page A3). Let your voice be heard. AnalysisMayoral race heats up as election date approaches in Newtonby A. G. and J. L. As the election for Newton mayor approaches, many candidates hope to defeat current mayor and front runner, David Cohen. The polls open for the preliminary voting today, September the 21st. Today’s vote will decide the two candidates who will face off on November the 8th. There are three main candidates that have the best chance of beating Cohen in the election. One of them is Tom Sheff. Sheff is originally from Newton, and attended Newton Public Schools. Sheff went to Clark University in Worcester where he received a B. A. in government and a minor in math. He also attended Thomas Cooley Law School in Lancing, Michigan. Another main candidate is Mike Striar. He is a Newton native, where he has lived most of his life. Striar is a fitness enthusiast, and coaches youth basketball and soccer. The third main candidate is current mayor, David Cohen. He has been in office since January of 1998. A Harvard graduate, Cohen also earned a law degree from Boston University. Cohen served as a state legislator for almost 20 years, and a member of the Board of Alderman for nine years.
TONIGHT is Back-to-School Nightby M. A. Back-to-School Night, a chance for parents to explore F. A. Day is TONIGHT, beginning at 7:00 The night will start in the auditorium where Gina Healy, principal of F. A. Day, will give a brief overview of the school, the curriculum, teams, and geography of the building. Afterwards, the parents will follow their child’s schedule spending 10 minutes in each classroom. They will get the chance to meet the teachers who will explain what happens in each classroom. Healy claims that Back-to-School Night is a wonderful opportunity for parents to get to meet their child's teacher and understand what a typical school day is like. “As a parent myself, I always appreciated putting a face to the names my children talked about at home,” said Healy. She also encourages parents to park on the side streets near Day as parking is very limited at Day. Albemarle and Walnut Street are suggested. ***** Cheesecake Brook testing to begin in the Fallby J. T. Later this Fall, Jade science teacher Amy Richard will begin testing the cleanliness of Cheesecake Brook, which runs parallel to Albemarle Field. She will be assisted by her team elective class twice a week. In the past school year, Richard organized several events at Cheesecake Brook, including a small student clean-up. Students removed more then 15 pounds of trash from the brook, and there is still more to pick up. These tests will monitor different things in the brook, including the Ph level, which must be level 7 to be healthy for organisms in the brook. If it is too high or too low, it is unhealthy and detergents or other chemicals could be leaking into the brook. In the year of 2004, the City of Newton tested the brook. They found it polluted by trash, chemicals, or leaking pipes. Soon after, Richard began taking an interest in the brook, planning to monitor it for herself, with DAYTIME staff. Later other students took an interest in the brook outside their school. ***** 6th grade parents may visit on Thursday, October the 6thby A. W. 6th grade parents will have a chance to learn about the new curriculum and their child(ren)’s routine. Parent visits will give the parents a chance to visit and observe the first three classes on Thursday, October the 6th, which includes 1 cross-team period (3). Parents do not have to fill out a form to come. Classes will run as normal with as little disruption as possible. Parents can arrive at 7:30AM and will be directed to the library where there will be coffee. At 8:05 they will go to any Team class they choose. The parents don’t need to go to the class that their child is in at the moment. Parents can be in hallways to observe the students changing classes. Parent visits are different from Back-to-School Night because the parents don’t interact with staff and faculty and it is a time for them to see the faculty teaching. In the past 7th in 8th grade parents have been welcome but the attendance rate was lower than the 6th grade. Parking is a large problem so parents are asked to park on Albemarle or Walnut Street. “We welcome the opportunity to showcase our classes for parents,” said Gina Healy, Principal of F. A. Day. . Parents will take a tour through the building starting in the auditorium.
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