New Initiative Takes Mainstream Approach to Marketing the School
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The Postscript The Park School of Baltimore | PO Box 8200 Brooklandville, MD 21022 November 9, 2005 Volume LXVI | Issue No. 2 Bunting to speak as ’05 Resident Scholar Military offi cer, liberal arts educator visits on Veteran’s Day by Anders Hulleberg ’07 General Josiah Bunting III will visit Park November 11 as this year’s Upper School Resident Scholar. A decorated combat veteran and former superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Bunting will speak at an assem- bly to the entire Upper School in the morning and then host two small- er seminars later in the day. The fi rst will focus on his novel, All Loves Excelling, and the sec- ond on General George Marshall, the subject of the biography he is cur- rently writing. The title for his morning assem- photo by B. Weinstein ’06 bly talk will be “What Bright fall foliage sets a lively tone for students as they begin the second quarter. Matters in College.” With early applications sent in for seniors and second semester registration over, Bunting received a B.A. and M.A. in Eng- the Upper School has become a more lively place. photo courtesy VMI lish History from Ox- ford University as a New initiative takes mainstream Rhodes Scholar, taught as a professor at West Point and the U.S. Naval War College, served as president of Briarcliff College and Hampden-Sydney College and headmaster of approach to marketing the school the Lawrenceville School in Princeton, N.J. He led VMI when it fi rst began to accept women into its ranks in 1997. by Everett Rosenfeld ’09 and the student must both decide is so high that most middle class Bunting’s sense of academia and of the nature of educa- whether the student is a good match. families cannot afford to have two tion are reputed to be both keen and unique. He has written Park has been a well-kept se- This is the fi rst time that children attend. In addition, the two books on the matter: An Education for Our Time, a fi c- cret for a long time now, but that Park has had any real coordi- population of Lower School-aged tional account of a wealthy businessman’s endeavor to cre- is about to change. A new ad cam- nated marketing. According to kids has decreased. Now that the ate a college devoted to teaching those things not covered by paign is getting the word out. Since Jackson, the School is taking a echo boom (children of the baby today’s higher education, and All Loves Excelling, a novel this brand of advertising is so dif- new direction because enroll- boom generation) has passed, about the experiences of a girl attending an elite boarding ferent, the School created a new ment is down for several reasons. there are fewer children applying school who hopes to be admitted to Dartmouth College. All position, Director of Marketing. One of the factors explaining en- to private schools. As a result the Loves Excelling was required reading in last spring’s Eng- Lacy Bordeaux, who took the rollment numbers is that “there are competition among schools to at- lish elective, School Books, and An Education for Our Time, job beginning last July, is over- some really whacky misconcep- tract these students has increased. The Lionheads (a 1974 Bunting ode to the GIs who fought in seeing a “coordinated, systematic tions about Park,” said Bordeaux. That is the main reason why Park Vietnam), and Ulysses S. Grant, were available to students way of advertising,” as Head of She recalled hearing that someone is aggressively marketing itself. for summer reading. (See review of Ulysses S. Grant, p. 8.) School David Jackson put it. Bor- once said, “I didn’t know Park The new advertisements are One of today’s most knowledgeable men on matters deaux has helped to create the fi ve even had sports teams.” It is these getting mixed reviews from stu- of military education, Bunting was an enlisted Marine, a advertisements that are running in kinds of misconceptions that make dents. “The ads contradict all of nd company commander of the U.S. 82 Airborne Division, “every newspaper and magazine an impact on attracting applicants. the things we say about the philos- the assistant chief of staff of the Ninth Infantry Division in a 50-mile radius of Park (be- “There are students who would ophy. They advertise as important in Vietnam, and a 1963 graduate of VMI. His military ci- sides the Sun),” said Jackson. The be a perfect fi t for Park and would all of the very things we say are tations include the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clus- poster-sized ads appear on the wall really thrive here, but they do not not: winning, going to good colleg- ters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Honor across from the Admission Offi ce. enroll because of half-truths or es, and getting good SAT scores. nd Medal 2 class, the Presidential Unit Citation, Parachute Bordeaux described her job us- complete falsehoods,” said Jack- It is like saying the whole hippie Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, and the Ranger Tab. ing a dating analogy. Her work in son, “We wish to inform people things didn’t work, so we are go- marketing is the “asking out;” the about what the real Park is.” ing to try this to attract people,” job of the advertisements is to bring There are other reasons that en- said Senior Emmanuelle Noar. Seniors seal envelopes people to look at the school. Once rollment is down for Park as well the prospective student arrives as other independent schools. The See Marketing, page 3. on early applications (the “date”) the Admission Offi ce price of tuition in private schools by Tony DeMarco ’08 “This time of year is extremely stressful for anyone in the college application process,” explained history teacher and college guidance counselor, Christina Forbush. From early decision and early action applications, college visits and es- says, the fall season tests the limits of what seniors can handle. Mid-way through junior year all students have a meeting with their parents and either Forbush or college counselor Paul Ganzenmuller to discuss the basics of the process. The counselors fi nd out if the students are interested in any col- leges already, what characteristics of a school they would prefer, and then look over their transcripts. Based on the answers they receive, they make a list of possible choices. photos and graphic by E. Gottlieb ’06 See College, page 2. Glossy ads noting college acceptance lists and athletic championships symbolize Park’s decision to market itself by more traditional indicators of success. page 2 News The Postscript | November 9, 2005 New driving laws focus on keeping teens safer by Everett Rosenfeld ’09 phones, regardless of whether will eliminate that distraction.” they are using a hands-free device. Armando Ortiz, an instructor Too many teens are dying In another move to keep drivers for the driver’s education com- on Maryland roads and state safe, provisional license holders pany Safety First, which runs a legislators are beginning to may not drive passengers under weekend program at Park, likes take notice. To improve the 18 for the fi rst fi ve months of the the new laws. “Honestly it is a statistics, a number of new regu- provisional period. This provision good idea; I think that the new lations covering the learner’s excludes family members so that laws are necessary,” he said. “The permit and provisional license siblings can cart each other around. more time you have to practice the period went into effect October 1. Obviously, teenagers and adults better you’ll understand the road, First, the law stretches the alike have mixed opinions about and that will make you a much bet- photo by E. Gottlieb ’06 required learner’s permit pe- the new laws. Sam Althauser ter driver.” But in some instances Teens must now complete 10 hours of nighttime riod from four to six months, and ’07 just received his provisional he says that the new laws are two months were added to the driving before they can get a provisional license. license September 24. “The new still too lenient, “The cell phone minimum ages for the provisional really tense,” he recalled. He them. Anthony Kinslow ’08, law about not being able to drive law should apply to everyone. and full licenses. Furthermore, believes that the required night who, is currently taking driver’s your friends is bad,” he said. “My They are a horrible distraction.” learner’s permit holders are now driving would have better pre- education, said, “I am upset be- friends sometimes need a ride and Ben Goldstein ’07 is an ad- required to complete 60 hours of pared him for that experience. cause it is going to be longer I can’t help them out.” Althauser vocate for the newly required supervised driving, as opposed to It appears as though most new before I can get my license, but agrees with some of the laws. driving time at night. Last year, 40 under the old system, at least drivers are in favor of these new I understand....Especially with “The new cell phone law is great. he was in an accident in which 10 of which must be at night. In laws even if they are inconve- the cell phone law. I watch my I wasn’t planning on using a cell he hit a deer. “It was night, and addition, drivers under 18 are nienced by them.