Rawson Appointed As 16Th Principal
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First Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid Mailed from 03833 Permit Number 78 “Te Oldest Preparatory School Newspaper in America” Vol. CXLI, Number 4 Tursday, January 31, 2019 Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire Rawson Appointed as 16th Principal What Does Trustees Elect Activism Look Rawson to Permanent Post LikeBy ANNEat BRANDESPEA? By ANNE BRANDES, ERIN CHOI and SARAH HUANG and EMILY KANG Staf Writers Staf Writers For the fnal question of the Exonian Afer several months of deliberation, the Encounter Committee’s Martin Luther Board of Trustees has appointed Principal King (MLK) Day morning workshop, William "Bill" Rawson as the 16th Academy Track and Field coach Olutoyin Augustus Principal—a decision that President of the gazed out at the 80 Exonians assembled Trustees John “Tony” Downer announced in and said, “Walk the line if you consider an assembly address on Friday, Jan. 25. yourself an activist.” While many peered According to Downer, the Trustees had around the room or shifted their feet, planned to begin a nationwide search for the only one student, a member of Exonian next principal this month but ultimately de- Encounters, stepped forward. cided to heed “unsolicited” input from many For many in the Exeter community, Exonians “to consider extending Principal the word “activism” is a charged, complex Rawson’s service by naming him the Acad- term that carries multiple defnitions and emy’s next principal,” he said. connotations. Downer said that Te Trustees undertook Augustus believes that activism can “extensive research” by consulting department take many forms and derives her own heads, staf members and dorm heads, speak- defnition of the word from GenZ activist ing with the Deans’ Council and contacting Anjali Appadurai. “We defned activism alumni through the General Alumni Asso- as ‘the practice of addressing an issue by ciation (GAA). “Tose engagement eforts challenging those in power,’” Augustus conveyed to us a chorus of pronounced sup- said, recalling the MLK Day workshop. port for selecting Bill Rawson,” Downer said. Augustus takes her own interpretation a Te Trustees deemed Rawson the opti- step further from Appadurai’s, extending mal choice for the Academy's next principal the defnition to “the practice of address- based on his leadership for interim principal. ing an issue by challenging those in power “Principal Rawson has immersed himself and those who have power,” she said. “I completely in the Exeter community with believe everyone has some sort of power, an abundance of interactions with students, ACTIVISM, 2 Principal William Rawson addresses his vision for school at Friday's Assembly. JaQ Lai/Te Exonian faculty, staf, parents and alums,” Downer said. “[He] has established a solid foundation of trust and goodwill with each of those groups.” Rawson afrmed his personal commit- Community Refects on Lost Dorm Traditions ment to sharing his positive Exeter experience By VERONICA CHOULGA Exeter has a long history of dorm tradi- dorm culture. with students. “I come with a deep apprecia- and PAUL ROGERS tions. While some traditions have stood the One past tradition involved Soule tion for how attending Exeter was a transfor- Staf Writers test of time, the Academy has halted many seniors setting up Evening Prayer dates mative experience for me, a deep respect for Senior Ella Parsons reminisces about others, like Amen Rave, due to concerns between preps in their dorm and preps in the profession of education generally and a time when Amen Hall’s basement would about student safety. Some dorms have since traditionally girls’ dorms, such as Hoyt. Ven- a deep appreciation for what all the adults come alive every winter with the beat of established new traditions, while others have zon, who opposed the tradition, considered on campus do to support the mission of the music and dance—the famous “Red Hot” tried to hang on to their age-old practices the practice unhealthy and improper for all school,” Rawson said in an interview with Te Amen Rave, organized by upperclassmen regardless. students. “Very quickly, you realize that the Exonian. “I think that respect and apprecia- in the dorm. Seniors would purchase infat- Soule Hall has long strived to improve tradition is not very appropriate,” Venzon tion, as much as anything, informs how I try able pools and glow sticks as preps waited its traditions. “Soule has had a bit of a spotty said. “One, it’s heteronormative, and, two, it’s to serve as principal.” for their turn to invite a guest. However, the past in terms of hazing,” senior and Soule just uncomfortable.” Downer recognized Rawson’s multiple dance was discontinued afer Parson’s prep resident Adrian Venzon said. According to However, Venzon noted that Soule is ties to the Academy as indications of his year and the dorm faculty, concerned about Venzon, hazing traditions were ofen a way more infamous for other traditions, such as projected success. “As a former student, Bill fre hazards and the exclusive nature of the for “upperclassmen to command respect,” but Prep Fight Club, in which “[Soule upperclass- has the deepest gratitude for and appreciation dance, curbed students’ eforts to revive it in they were also an excuse for older students men] would make the preps fght each other.” of his years at the Academy,” he said. “As an the winter of 2017. to abuse young students and promote a toxic While Soule has had other similar traditions alum, for decades, Bill has been intensively TRADITIONS, 2 RAWSON, 3 Committee Students Host Plans Library Exeter's First RenovationsBy ERIN CHOI, EMILY KANG STEMBy ERIN CHOI and Day LINA HUANG and LUCY WEIL Staf Writers Staf Writers Booths and posters adorned the Agora Renovations on the Class of 1945 on Saturday, Jan. 26—Exeter’s inaugural Library will begin in the summer of Science, Technology, Engineering and 2019, turning the basement into a Mathematics (STEM) Day. Student organiz- center for archives and special col- ers filled the day with presentations from lections by 2020. Additional reno- professors of renowned universities, stu- vations will be completed by 2026. dent presentations at the Tech Fair and fun Te new basement plan calls for ex- challenges created by Exeter’s STEM clubs, hibit cases to display rare objects, a se- Upper Alexander Kish presents his research at Exeter's frst STEM Day. Courtesy of Jenny Yang encouraging interested STEM students to cure vault, a reading room, a classroom, pursue their passions. a technology suite, conservation areas, Library in the 1950s. Kahn’s project began the intellectual center of the community.” When asked about the reason she ofce space and secure storage rooms. in 1965 and opened in 1971 as the grand, Additionally, the document high- wanted to help organize STEM Day, upper According to Academy Librarian Gail eight-story building we know today. lighted that the building should not Penny Brant discussed her desire to create Scanlon, the Library Renewal Committee A faculty committee led the origi- only preserve knowledge, but also an opportunity for students to appreciate has been discussing renovations since the nal planning process for the library’s serve as a space that fosters intellec- and learn about the STEM field, especially late 1990s, consulting with architects, de- construction. In their mission state- tual growth and the people pursuing in the context of the real world. “We de- signers and librarians across the country. ment, the committee noted that a good it. “Te emphasis should not be on cided to organize STEM day because we felt “Our library is widely regarded as one of library serves as a hub for learning at housing books, but on housing read- that at Exeter, we often focus too much on the most signifcant twentieth-century an academic institution. “Te quality of ers using books,” the document reads. competition and achievements but forget modernist buildings in the United States,” a library, by inspiring a superior faculty To achieve this purpose, the com- the beauty of STEM,” she said. “We wanted she said. “Te Academy has a responsi- and attracting superior students, deter- mittee had recommended various ac- this day to be a day where people can come bility to preserve our historic building.” mines the efectiveness of a school,” the commodations such as garden space and together and celebrate their interests in PEA commissioned distinguished document readss. “No longer a mere ample seating areas. In designing the STEM in a non-competitive environment.” architect Louis Kahn to design a contem- depository of books and magazines, the building, Kahn tried to optimize natural Similarly, upper and co-Editor-in- porary structure that would enhance the modern library becomes a laboratory for lighting. All the while, he ensured that the Chief of MATTER Magazine Anjali Gupta campus afer the school outgrew the Davis research and experimentation, a quiet building would both maintain the classic retreat for study, reading and refection, brick aesthetic of the rest of the Academy decided to participate because she felt that LIBRARY, 2 STEM, 10 INSIDE WEB NEWS LIFE OPINIONS Visit our website for exclusives. Read about the creation of Instabite, the Read about Staf of the Week, Partick J. Lower Emmanuel Tran criticizes Zionism in www.theexonian.com new campus food delivery service. 3. Garrity. 9. America. 6. Follow our Instagram. www.instagram.com/theexonian Read about Exonians' trip to meet Angela Upper Kennedy Moore refects on the SPORTS Davis. 10. transience of fame. 4. Read about Track and Field's record breaking Like us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/theexonian meet. 11. 2 THE EXONIAN NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 Students and Faculty Share Differing Views on Activism Continued from ACTIVISM, 1 that her years at Exeter have honed her distinction between activism and the realm people for their difering beliefs and their so challenging each other is also a form of convictions.