National Poetry Month Sizzles at St. Sebastian's Seb's Takes Home
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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 LXIII, No. 6 St. Sebastian’s School April 2010 National Poetry Month Seb’s Takes Home Triple Sizzles At St. Sebastian’s Crown at Holy Cross BY CHRIS MARINO ‘10 and Dillon Ecclesine in the Upper joyed the production. Unfortunately division. the majority of the student body had Just like the Super Bowl is to football, Upon choosing our teams by this time journeyed over to the the World Series is to baseball and via Certamen Night, the whole Latin Chariot race outside of the athletic the Stanley Cup Finals is to hockey, Club journeyed to Holy Cross on center, and so the fan support for Certamen Night is the biggest night April 8th to celebrate Classics Day. the play was not quite as loud and for Classics scholars at St. Sebastian’s There St. Sebastian’s School made a boisterous as it was over at the “Cir- School. Students from all grade levels name for itself by taking the Triple cus Maximus,” so to speak. However, come together in a battle of wits, Crown. Placing in every event of the the boys’ hard work certainly paid off forming teams in hopes of securing day, the Arrows became known as a as they were awarded the third place a chance to compete at the coveted force to be reckoned with. First and trophy for their efforts. Holy Cross. foremost, the title of “Swiftest Chari- The day ended with more Certamen Night was held ot” was being defended on this day. Arrows’ success when our Lower divi- on April 6th, and proved to be The whole crew was new this year, sion team competed well enough to another enjoyable night for partak- as Jake O’Malley and Brian Strachan reach the finals of the main con- ing students. The night began with pulled, Noah McMillan pushed, and test. They faced tough opponents, a great spread put together by Joe Justin Nicklas rode in the previous however the scholars were able to Fasciano and his terrific staff, con- year’s chariot crafted by Kevin Lynch, outdo those from other schools and sisting of Roman-themes foods and Ned Kingsley and Chris Marino. The earn first place on the big stage. The desserts. With students and teachers boys faced some early technical dif- team of Kelly, Piersak, DeMatteo, alike fed to satisfaction, the games ficulties, as the chariot fell over in the and Kingsley took their places to began. Each room consisted of three first run, however with the support raucous applause from the student four-person teams with one Classics of nearly one hundred screaming body, who had already witnessed teacher asking prepared questions. Arrows, the team blew through the spectacular successes in the Chariot Reggie Gibson and Marlon Carey entertain and educate St. Sebastian’s students and faculty. These questions ranged everywhere bracket and pulled off the second race and the dramatic competition, from Latin grammar to mythology, consecutive title. but was eager for more. The team, amount of my learning has occurred Women’s History month (though BY NED KINGSLEY ‘10 which made it necessary for each St. Sebastian’s also com- after a slow start, soon established during the great month of April. it is not as widely celebrated at St. student to reach back into their vault peted for the first time in the Classics their dominance and continued In 1996, the American Academy of Sebastian’s, perhaps due to the Every April, St. Sebastian’s of knowledge. These contests were Day costume competition, and put on to a convincing victory over the Poets declared April to be National homogeneous, male structure of the celebrates National Poetry Month both enjoyable and excited, and on quite a show. Patrick McLaughlin, rest of the field. The team should Poetry Month—a time when “pub- student body). As a result, librarians, in English classes and school-wide made for great competition. At the Sean Frazzette, Joseph Dudley, Chris be proud of its effort on the day, as lishers, booksellers, literary organiza- teachers, and others with whom the assemblies, by studying, memoriz- end of the night, the top teams from Riley, Will Adams, Patrick Ciapciak, should all those who participated in tions, libraries, schools and poets creation of National Poetry month ing, and reciting poetry. In addition, both the Lower and Upper divisions Lou Heck, Connor Wiik, Paul Lee Classics Day for their support. Spe- around the country band together was assigned, decided that April a number of guest poets often come advanced to the main competition in and Tom Keefe valiantly performed cial thanks should also go out to all to celebrate poetry and its vital place would be a fitting month in which to to lecture students on the proper Ward Hall. In the Lower division, the a production based on the famous of the faculty members who made in American culture,” as stated by the celebrate the art of poetry. construction and analysis of good team of Peter DeMatteo, Tommy Kel- Roman private eye, Flavius Maximus. the day possible: Mr. Albertson, Mr. relatively reliable website poets.org. The Goals of National Po- poetry. By doing so, students gain ley, Scott Kingsley, Ben Piersiak came This classic comedy had the judges Nerbonne, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Lynch, The concept behind the celebration etry Month are as follows: to 1. High- a greater appreciation for poetry as out victorious, as did the team of Dil- in stitches for the entire perfor- Mr. Cressotti, as well as Joe Fasciano is to widen the attention of people light the extraordinary legacy and an art form, as well as a literary style lon Kerr, Max Kingsley, Ned Kingsley mance, and it was clear that they en- and his staff. that has shaped the progression of throughout the world “to the art of ongoing achievement of American modern and ancient literature over poetry, to living poets, to our com- poets; 2. Introduce more Americans the course of history. plex poetic heritage, and to poetry to the pleasures of reading poetry; 3. From the beginning of my books and journals of wide aesthetic Bring poets and poetry to the public time at St. Sebastian’s, and almost range and concern,” thereby promot- in immediate and innovative ways; 4. every year since, I can remember ing the crucial place of poetry in Make poetry a more important part studying poetry in all of my English modern society. of the school curriculum; 5. Increase and Latin classes. In seventh grade, St. Sebastian’s celebrates the attention paid to poetry by we were required to memorize Wil- the month in a number of noticeable national and local media; 6. Encour- liam Butler Yeats’ classic “Lake Isle of ways. In every Corporate Chapel, a age increased publication, distribu- Innisfree” in English class with the few students rise to recite poetry in tion, and sales of poetry books; and late great Mr. Weihman. This poem front of the school. In addition, the finally 7. Increase public and private remains especially popular to this English department recently hosted philanthropic support for poets and day in Mr. Cornish’s middle school a “poetry slam” courtesy of local poetry. English classes. performers/poets Regie Gibson and T.S. Eliot, a noted master Since then, we have covered Marlon Carey. of poetry in the English language everything from Tennyson to Talib But why April? First of all, remarked, “Poetry is not a turning Kweli, from Caesar to Catullus, and April traditionally represents the loose of emotion, but an escape who could ever forget perhaps the coming of spring and a “new birth” of from emotion; it is not the expres- greatest poem of all time, Vergil’s nature, all of which is very awesome sion of personality, but an escape Aeneid. Over the years, I have gained and artistic and poetic. Aside from from personality. But, of course, only a great understanding of and ap- that, however, February has been those who have personality and preciation for the complexity of true established as Black History Month, emotions know what it means to poetry. a time to celebrate the myriad want to escape from these things.” Though much of this has achievements and contributions How fortunate we are that St. Sebas- taken place outside of the context of of African Americans to American tian’s helps students embrace this Brian Strachan ‘11 and his go-to receiver Jake O’Malley ‘10 lead the charge in the Chariot race. National Poetry Month, the greatest society and culture. Next, March is message. contradictory observations: the Orleans experience. Half the group faculty. Brian Ea ‘07, Charlie Jacob Saintly Seb’s Crew Helps drove with shovels and rakes to the ‘08, and Jimmy Elcock ‘08, who were newcomers to New Orleans realized they were a far cry away from the home of Miss Beverly, while the oth- all either working or going to school Massachusetts suburbs where many ers went to ARISE Academy- a school in the New Orleans area, lent a hand of them lived; those who were on for underprivileged kids. At Miss on the work sites and during eve- Rebuild New Orleans the trip for a second time noticed Beverly’s, the students were shown ning prayers. Dave Emond, formerly two thousand fatalities. March break in order to bond as how much the area had improved a home that was without insulation the admissions director at Seb’s, BY JOE ALBANESE ‘10 It is hard to imagine that students, to explore themselves and in their eyes from last year.