News From Memphis University School Volume 13, Number 3, May 2011 about what’s going on in your head.” Sorensen had a similar outlook. MENTAL MUSCLE “The hardest part about this competition was CHESS OWLS ARE NO. 2 IN THE STATE playing people better than I am, especially when by Miss Erin Floyd I didn’t have much time to think about my moves,” he said. “Also, it’s challenging to play chess as a The chess teams had all the right moves team-based game because you rely on your other while competing in the Region IV Team teammates to win their games. The team has Qualifying Tournament on March 5. to get two and a half wins out of four to win At the regional level, the varsity team came the round.” in second and the Lower School team came in When it comes to sharpening their skills, fourth. Both teams qualified for the Tennessee members of the chess team agreed that practice MUS MUS State makes perfect. Scholastic “When I first Team Chess learned chess, I Tournament in frequently prac- o n o r q u e 1 8 9 3 H Cookeville on ticed to improve March 26. my skills,” o u n d e d F Because of Sorensen said. e r i t a s V schedule “Tactics become conflicts, the very important.” Lower School Meyer team did not added that skills compete at the he develops state level. The (left to right) Amit Shah, Nathan Vogt, Andy Sorensen, while practicing varsity team Ashish Nathani, and Pete Abston chess aid him in came home everyday life. with their third second-place trophy in four years. “My favorite part about chess is how it sharp- The Upper School team consists of junior ens my mental skills,” he said. “It really helps with Ashish Nathani, sophomores Pete Abston, analytical thinking.” Amit Shah, and Nathan Vogt, and fresh- Along with the “mental muscle” that chess man Andy Sorensen. The Lower School team provides, the boys enjoy participating. includes freshmen William Lamb and Sorensen, “It’s really fun, plus, Nathan Vogt is a very and eighth graders Marvin Banks and Max good teacher. He knows what he’s doing,” Meyer Meyer. Nathani and Vogt are co-captains of said. “We meet once a week, right after school, the teams. and we encourage anyone with an interest in the Chess competitions can be tricky, according game to come check us out.” to Meyer, who said confidence is the key. In addition to the mental exercise and the fun, “It’s easy to be concerned that the kids another goal motivates these players. you’re competing against are extremely skilled,” “I participate because I really like chess he said. “You may worry that they’re out-think- and want to help MUS win a state title,” ing you, and you’re not really sure what’s going Sorensen said. on in their heads. You just have to be confident Inside Inside Fencing, Latin, Studentand Choreographer Tennis Teams Win StatePage Titles 8 FreedomDetails of Expression Inside! Inside MUS Straight From the Top Table of Contents by Mr. Clay Smythe ’85, Lower School Principal Owlcolades cozy up to that authority as soon as possible 3 National Merit Finalists and “go the extra mile” toward cultivating the 4 Cum Laude Society Inductees relationship … all for the pragmatic end of being Clay Smythe, Circa 1983 5 MATHCOUNTS Champs noticed by discriminating college admissions 6 Honor Rolls committees. Whatever Happened In a nod to our archetypal anti-hero, the exasperated author opined that it looks like Fine Arts to Eddie Haskell? students are being encouraged by this line of 7 Fine Arts Updates reasoning to act more like the two-faced Eddie 8 The Making of NeoVox: a revue For those who remember the old 1950s-60s Haskell than to work their best at achieving 10 Fine Arts Awards television show, Leave It To Beaver, the name high marks and serving their school in order to “Eddie Haskell” conjures up arguably the quint- promote the general welfare. essentially insincere character in recent popular When a number of us adults read the Sports Buzz fiction. Eddie was the sharp-tongued high school piece and saw the infamous character’s name, 11 Lacrosse Leadership Camp friend of Wally Cleaver, an all-American boy, we shared an immediate understanding of 12 Varsity Basketball Season big brother to “The Beaver,” the stereotypically the author’s intent. We know Eddie Haskell, 13 Basketball Homecoming precocious little brother. and we know that he is a fraud. Sucking up The show regularly presented the three con- to teachers is a bad strategy, and we unmask 14 Varsity Swim Season fronted by numerous situations which exposed it when it happens to us. However, sincerely 15 Varsity Wrestling Season some of the basic tensions people face in everyday developing a student-mentor relationship is 16 Football Awards life. Wally generally represented the conservative, one of the best experiences an MUS boy can 18 Junior Varsity Basketball law-abiding role, and Eddie represented the anti- know, and we strongly encourage the rapport. hero, the sycophant (thanks, JER, for teaching me A student will carry the cherished relationship 19 Seventh-Grade Basketball that word), exploiting situations to his own advan- with him for the rest of his life, and the teacher 20 Lower School Swim Team tage, often at the expense of the gullible Beaver. will, too. Quite possibly, he may even merit Eddie’s most memorable exchanges exposed the genuine college recommendation from said Campus News his duplicitous character, an overly complimen- teacher at the end of the day. tary manner to adults, especially to Wally’s and Eddie Haskell serves as unique of a place 21 Student Council Q and A Beaver’s mother (“You sure look lovely in that within and among adolescent company as he 22 Oodles of Debates dress, Mrs. Cleaver.”), in contrast to his conniving does in adult society. He’s a pariah for those 23 MangoLanguages manipulations of his naïve and simpler contem- who desire to foster friendship in community. 24 Caught on Camera poraries. Eddie commonly referred to Wally and He sets people up in order to knock them The Beaver by their given names, Wallace and down. He pokes fun, hiding his own insecuri- Theodore, just to be mean, reinforcing his social ties, employing his quick wit to the negative. Insights standing, employing his sarcasm as an effective The rules don’t apply to him. Be they students 26 College Corner weapon protecting his personal position in or teachers, either target should be warned the group. that he is known to lie in the grass awaiting his Parents’ Recently, an article claiming how best to get opportunity to strike. As a result of his deceit a high-school student accepted into a prestigious and manipulations, his cunning, he often avoids Association college circulated around our office. The gist was the demerit list and the bad conduct sheet. His 27 Updates From the Chairs simple: achieving college acceptance to exclusive craft remains alert in various scenarios in order programs is highly competitive, therefore each to promote his survival. To catch him in the act student needs to do his or her best to stand out requires a keen eye. Perceptive adults armed from the rest in more ways than producing good with the wisdom that comes through experience grades and a long list of accomplishments. The can aid youngsters in developing improved formula for success, claimed the article, was to discernment by breaking down Eddie’s strategy receive exceptional teacher recommendations. in order for them to protect themselves from The best way to get those kinds of kudos was to similar ruses. continued on page 5 Inside MUS 2 May 2011 Inside MUS Table of Contents National Merit Scholarship Finalists, Six Brainy Owls FROM 1.5 MILLION COMPETITORS TO 15,000 by Miss Erin Floyd Owlcolades Forrest Baty Clint Montgomery Chase Schoelkopf Carson Smith Mason Soun J.P. Wheeler GARRETT, GOING eniors Forrest Baty, Clint Montgomery, Chase Schoelkopf, Carson Smith, FOR THE GOLD SMason Soun, and J.P. Wheeler were named finalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship (NMS) competition. Daniel Garrett is a semifinalist for the 2011 U.S. The boys’ NMS journey began when they were included in the top 50,000 out Physics Olympics Team. The American Association of 1.5 million entrants. In early September, they received notification that they of Physics Teachers (AAPT) uses three phases to were six of the 16,000 students named as semifinalists. Now that they reached the select the team. The first phase selects 300 semi- finalist stage, they are six out of a choice group of 15,000 students, competing for finalists from 3,000 candidates. The second phase the 8,400 merit scholarships to be given out March through June. Most of these awards are $2,500 scholarships which will go toward their college education. reduces the pool to 20 members who will travel According to NMS, the scholarships are awarded based on “the finalist’s to the University of Maryland-College Park for a academic record, information about the school’s curricula and grading system, two training camp. There, they engage in nine days sets of test scores, the high school official’s written recommendation, information of intense study, labs, exams, and problem about the student’s activities and leadership, and the finalist’s own essay.” solving. At the end of the camp, five students and an alternate will be selected as the team to % represent the U.S.