THE NA T IO N 'S OLDES T ON THE WEB: COU nt RY DAY SC HOOL www.pingry.org/re- NEWSPAPER cord VOLUME CXXXVI, NUMBER 7 The Pingry School, Martinsville, New Jersey JUNE 13, 2010 COMMENCEMENT 2010 Seniors Take Month Off to Mrs. Madeline Landau Leaves Pursue Passions During ISP Behind Tremendous Legacy Josephine LaCosta like- consisting of a collection of disciplinary studies, especially “In teaching here, I feel that I am By DAN ABEND (IV) By JASMINE OGHAZ (V) and wise showcased her talented songs. She also used her time with the English department, as impacting tomorrow’s leaders.” ROXANNE OGHAZ (V) singing voice by producing to become more familiar After 26 years as a History well as further integrating Ho- Mrs. Landau carried her con- an album that contained with the sound equipment teacher and a nine-year period as locaust studies into the history nections with her students to Beginning May 1, all 133 about a dozen songs from a and software required to History Department Head, Mrs. curriculum. her endeavors outside the class- seniors dropped their classes variety of different genres. produce an album. Madeline Landau has decided Looking back on her job as room as well. A large part of her in order to pursue Indepen- She has never focused on just to retire. Department Head, Mrs. Landau legacy was her involvement with dent Study Projects (ISPs). one type of music and there- Rakesh Bhisham and As a teacher, Mrs. Landau “thinks [her] job transformed a variety of annual all-school The projects ranged from fore wanted her album to David Martin took popular taught survey classes in World, the department,” and “made it assemblies. “Assemblies are musical endeavors to cross- contain the same variety as songs and altered them by European and American History the best department at the time.” very important,” she remarked, country road trips and al- the music that has influenced changing the vocals and add- as well as A.P. American and A.P. Ultimately though, she decided because “they have made the lowed the seniors to explore her over the years. Her main ing their own instrumentals. European History. “It’s been a that her position was not what students more aware. When you their interests and take full instrumental accompanist In addition, they each wrote great experience as a teacher she wanted to do and stepped hear numbers in a textbook, you advantage of their last month was Michael Arrom (III), at seven songs and compiled here,” she said. “I have had so down. “I realized that my best have to remember that those are in high school. whose home recording studio their creations to produce a many wonderful students and time was when I was teaching,” real human beings. I think these the album was produced. unique CD. colleagues.” Her enthusiasm for she explained. “I wanted to spend assemblies accomplished that.” ARTS her job has helped to make her a more time with the kids.” Her work includes initiating Music Looking to explore a new Brian Weiniger and Ryan great teacher in the eyes of those Mrs. Landau’s relationship the Veterans Day Assembly, the area of music, John Kwon Kiska wrote their own raps around her. “Having a teacher with her students has always Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly, Following her passion for dedicated his time to song- and composed accompany- as passionate as Mrs. Landau been a large part of what makes and the Holocaust Remembrance music, Emily Xia learned writing. Although he worked ing music. encourages the students to learn her such a good teacher, as well Assembly. how to play the dizi, the primarily on the Pingry with the same intensity,” said as something she prides herself Mrs. Landau’s legacy ex- Chinese transverse flute. She campus, his occasional off- Visual Arts Logan McGowan (IV). on. “I’ve always believed that if I tended even further outside the already had some experience campus trips to isolated and Will Pinke (VI) added that impact one student in a way that classroom, with her work on with the western flute, and new environments provided Jennifer Soong further “Mrs. Landau clearly loves what his or her behavior changes, then Vital Signs, the school’s opinion the two structurally similar important inspiration for the pursued her interest in art by she does as well as her students. I’ve done my job,” she said. magazine. Since helping students instruments allowed her to original songs he wrote. experimenting with different She’s a great teacher.” There is a connection that from the Awareness Society learn about the differences media, including oil paint Fellow history teacher Mr. exists between her and the kids (which she also founded) start in writing and technique be- Morgan Foster re- and pastel. Furthermore, she Matthew Horesta praised her as she teaches in her classes as well the publication in 1986, Mrs. tween classical eastern and searched different songs decided to work on larger well, saying, “Someone like Mrs. as others she encounters in the Landau had a large role in the western music. and composers to further canvases on which she over- Landau will be extremely hard to school. “In teaching kids, I have magazine’s funding, publishing, her knowledge of the piano, lapped various images. replace.” learned so much from them and and distribution. Vital Signs has Victoria Lee, looking to and she practiced playing It was recognition of this ex- also learned a lot about myself,” been “a vehicle for the kids to experiment with different the piano to improve her Kate Conway broadened cellence in the classroom as well she said. Alex Fagella (V), who think of issues outside themselves genres of music other than skills and technique. Her her artistic horizons by ex- as her devotion to students that witnessed that connection, com- and the immediate community the classical she is used to, studies culminated in a piano perimenting in three-dimen- allowed her to become Head of mented that “she cared deeply and to express an opinion,” she produced an album contain- concert, which was held at sional studies. She used a the History Department. For nine about each one of [her students] said. “It gives kids the reward ing songs from a variety Pingry. variety of different materials years she put her hard work and as individuals. If you fell behind, of being a published writer and/ of time periods and styles. and subjects for her unique fervor for history into guiding her she would do everything to help or cartoonist and allows them to She later sold the CDs and Pamela Giangreco honed sculptures, which consisted department towards excellence. you catch up.” develop leadership talent as well donated all proceeds to the her vocal abilities by re- mostly of various body casts Her work included making AP “We are fortunate to have as those skills needed to put out Starlight Children’s founda- searching different genres European History available for consistently wonderful young tion. of music and recording a CD Continued on Page 15 sophomores, encouraging inter- people here,” said Mrs. Landau. Continued on Page 13 SENIOR REFLECTIONS COLLEGE SUMMARY CLASS OF 1902 EMBLEM SCHOOL NEWS SPORTS P. 2—6 P. 7 P. 8-9 P. 12-17 P. 19- 20 2 THE PINGRY RECORD SENIOR REFLECTIONS JUNE 13, 2010 EDITORIAL Missing the “Super-fan” Moments stage in their lives. Of course, we means something to me, from the a 7th grader. By JOHN KWON (VI) are all excited to embark on what big, beautiful clock tower out front I’m taking this sweatshirt with Where have these six years is supposed to be “the best four to the weekly Mindful Aware- me to Boston next year. Not be- gone? While writing this reflec- years of our lives,” but can’t we ness Practices with Mr. Sluyter. cause of its warmth or comfort, tion, it finally hit me that in about a lament for a second about what Regardless of how excited I am but because it’s a reminder of the Auf Wiedersehen! month, I’m leaving high school for we are leaving behind? to depart for college, I am going memories and the friends I made good. My love for sweater-vests, How I’ll miss screaming to miss this place so much. Pingry while I was at Pingry, a school singing, and the Patriots may ac- “Class X!” with the rest of my has shaped me in a way that I which will never cease to be a 1998 was a big year. It was the year when millions mourned company me next fall, but my la- class during school events, or the would have never dreamed of as part of me. the end of “Seinfeld,” when Monica Lewinski’s big scandal bel as a Pingry student will not. It’s applause and screams of numer- with Bill Clinton broke out, and when Exxon bought Mo- sad to leave this place, which has ous Buttondowns fans! How sad bil. 1998 was the year Frank Sinatra and Barry Goldwater become embedded with countless it will be to never be called an passed away, as well as the time when two men jumpstarted memories and emotions. “angelface” again, or witness the Google, Inc. It was also the year when Leo DiCaprio and Kate There’s this sweatshirt that I wonderful sight of Mr. Hedengren Winslet stood together on the big screen in the blockbuster still have from my freshman year. and Senora Ortner walking side by “Titanic.” And while I’ve lost or stopped side.