The WALRUS The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. - Lewis Carroll Vol LXVII, No. 2 St. Sebastian’s School November 2013 Junior Class Well Represented at National Honor Society Induction By GREG DEMATTEO ‘16 this more select format, however, school. It attracts kids with great would be unfair to excluded students. moral character, arguably the most & MIKE CALABRO ‘16 We get it: the NHS isn’t important pillar of the NHS. Students The National Honor supposed to be fair; it’s supposed to with great character are inclined to Society Induction Assembly was reward the deserved. That is the rea- lead by example, work hard in school, a huge success this year. Matt son why we don’t have 100% of the and reach out to the community. Ouellette, Henry Finnegan, Chris junior class receiving the honor in the Yes, if inducted students compare Callahan, and Caleb Aldrich spoke first place. Still, it wouldn’t be fair to themselves to their fellow classmates, at the event, all delivering powerful leave out the students who hover just the honor seems insignificant. If they speeches on the four pillars of the above the required 85% grade average talk to their public school comrades, NHS: character, service, leader- because too many kids are meeting however, they will quickly realize the ship, and scholarship. Nevertheless, the criteria honor is a great one. with all great assemblies comes When discussing the stan- As members of the Sr. Evelyn C. even greater controversy, and that dards for the NHS, Mr. Nerbonne Barrett, O.P. Chapter of the National was clearly the case with this one. put it best: “They’re not set by us… Honor Society, these students must Students who weren’t busy being they’re set by the National Honor So- adhere to the four pillars. Whether inspired by the four speeches were ciety.” It is required for an NHS appli- inducted in recent or distant times, most likely sitting in their pews, cant to have a grade average of 85% NHS members are men of out- pondering the question that still or higher. Along with this grade mark, standing character who possess the baffles many to this day: How could applicants submit a personal essay integrity to stand up for what is right, 62 members of the junior class be in which they prove their merit. The always acting morally. Furthermore, inducted into the NHS? student’s advisor also writes a letter National Honor Society members Only a select group of to ensure the validity of the student’s live not for themselves, but rather for students are supposed to be inducted leadership and character. All of these others. When they serve others, NHS into the NHS. Now, it seems a bit components are factored by the NHS members demonstrate the qualities of ridiculous that over 90% of the selection committee. the next pillar—leadership. Leaders junior class was recently inducted And while it may seem odd that among men, they guide each other into this so-called “select” society of 90% of the junior class was recently and help those in need. As leaders scholars. The “honor” of the event inducted, the numbers are much lower with extraordinary character, they is stripped away in some respects. across the United States. In essence, show others how to live. Scholar- The many National Honor Society inductees of 2013 take the oath that is the final step Wouldn’t it make sense to select the reason why this high percentage is ship is the last pillar of the National to their admittance to the group, as admiring parents, students, and faculty watch. a more-choice group of students acceptable is because St. Sebastian’s Honor Society. NHS members are to embody the pillars of the NHS students are exemplary. As Mr. Ner- active and hard working scholars, throughout our school? bonne said, “St. Sebastian’s attracts always seeking ways to challenge Maybe. In many aspects, some of the best kids from the best themselves. ‘The 39 Steps’ Amuses and In- it would make more sense if the towns.” If these students had stayed Bound by character, service, leader- group consisted of fewer members. at their local public high schools, ship, and scholarship, members of the Inductees would feel as if they had there would be no doubt about their National Honor Society can be best spires Awe and Admiration achieved something greater than acceptance into the NHS. To think described by the last sentence of the an expected honor. They would be that we should punish these students Saint Sebastian’s Mission statement: By DESMOND DIGIOVANNI‘14 every year” Lynch ’15, and Peter harming him. In a classic mix-up, held to a higher standard after being for choosing to go to an academically “A moral and just person, a gentleman ‘Dubstep’ Olson ’15. In addition, Hannay then gives a rousing speech inducted in front of the school as a rigorous school like St. Sebastian’s is of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life- & DAVID KORZIENOWSKI‘15 this play wouldn’t have gotten off for a political candidate, and is member of a select NHS. It would ridiculous. long learner who continues to grow in After countless hours of the ground if it weren’t for our recognized by Pamela, who gets also encourage competition through- The fact that a large percentage of his capacity to know, to love, and to preparation and practice, the St. fantastic directors, Mr. Rogers, and the ‘police’ and is arrested by the out classes, as students would work students were inducted into the NHS serve God and neighbor.” Sebastian’s Drama Club put on yet Mrs. Stansfield. They added useful ‘police’(Mac Morris, Will Supple), for a spot in the society. Employing this year speaks to the quality of our another wildly entertaining show, and funny bits to the script to trigger who are actually thugs working for The 39 Steps. The play, based on laughs, and they gave sage advice the Professor. They also take Pamela the Alfred Hitchcock movie, was to every single person in the cast, along for policy-sounding reasons. performed on November 1st and 2nd making the performances run quite After a beautiful, rousing perfor- in a jam-packed Ward Hall. How- smoothly. And a special thanks to mance of ‘flock of sheep’ by Marty ever, the work for this play began far Father Arens for his help on master- White, the thugs lose Hannay and before. ing the British, Scottish, and Ger- Pamela, who run away after being In September, the two man accents. handcuffed together, and have many presidents of the club, Desmond As for the play itself, the conversations about lots of things DiGiovanni ’14 and Jack Goldman main character and hero of the play, while they try to sort everything out. ’14, with the help of Mr. Rogers named Richard Hannay, (Jack Gold- After a big fight, and the breaking of had to pick out a fitting play for the man) is framed for murder, and as the shackles, Pamela eavesdrops on fall season. As some of you know, he runs from the police and assas- the thugs, and learns the truth. Pa- the fall plays at Sebs are tradition- sins, he tries to uncover the uncover mela and Hannay end up at another ally musicals, but this year, due to the truth behind the secret organi- Mr. Memory show, however, this an obscene lack of musical ability zation called ‘The 39 Steps.’ The time, the Professor is there. It is then from the Drama Club seniors, (save antagonist of the play is the evil, that Hannay realizes how and why for ‘Golden Voice’ Matthews) a Nazi mastermind Professor Jordan the Professor is taking information musical was not chosen. Instead, (Des DiGiovanni) who created The out of the country, and its devious The 39 Steps, a hilarious spoof on 39 Steps. The play opens on Hannay nature. the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie attending a frivolous “Mr. Memory” We don’t want to spoil the seemed like the perfect play. show to clear his mind. He encoun- ending for you, and if you didn’t get Soon after, auditions for ters Annabella Schmit, (Isabelle a chance to see the play in person, the play were held, as always, in Paredes) a mysterious foreign we highly recommend getting a Mr. Roger’s room. After a week of woman who is murdered in his flat copy of the play from the AV room, auditions, the members of the cast that night but not before bidding him if you don’t know where that is, were given their respective parts, go to a place called Alt-Na-Shellach. you can talk to Jack, Des, or anyone and were expected to memorize their He knows the police will be after from the play. lines as soon as possible. Also, as it him, so after an emotional scene We’d also like to thank Jack Goldman ‘14 sits in dismay as bumbling cops impede his plans to escape the country. usually is with the fall play, we were with the milkman, Hannay flees to everyone who was able to come out fortunate enough to have girls from Scotland, boarding a train which to the shows on November 1st/2nd. Montrose come in and help us with is incidentally riddled with police It was a full house, and it’s always a Unity Day Strengthens Community our play. The full cast list was as fol- (David Korzeniowski and Sean fantastic time for the cast and crew.