Redcoat Review December 2018 / Issue 2 In this issue... politics, music and more! Mr. Smith: Teacher, Coach, Friend By Justin Lamoureux closest bonds with students were forged Redcoat Review Writer on the tennis court. Tristan Simard, a sophomore who had Mr. Smith as a The Adidas king. Mr. BHS. Grandpa tennis coach last season, remembers how Rex. These are just a few ways staff and Mr. Smith energized his new team and students at Berlin High School choose to prepared them for the season ahead. “He remember Mr. Rex Smith. stood by his car to make us nervous,” Mr. Smith passed away on Wednesday, Simard laughed. November 7th following a short illness. Students learned more than just He taught math at Berlin High School math from Mr. Smith; he provided them for thirty-eight years, during which he with advice they could carry with them instructed thousands of students, and, in throughout their lives. “He taught the the process, touched thousands of lives. whole student -- not just math,” notes Mr. DelGiudice, who taught Mrs. Thurston, who was good friends alongside Mr. Smith for over thirty years, with Mr. Smith. “He wanted to get to recollected one year when they shared a know every student and make a classroom and each taught a class in there difference in their lives.” during the same period. That same year, The outpouring of tributes and the pair had a student who did not want condolences that came in the days to attend school because he missed his following Mr. Smith’s passing served as dog. “[Mr. Smith] said, ‘just bring your a reflection of the truly immeasurable dog to school,’” Mr. DelGiudice recalled, impact he had on their lives. noting that he allowed the student to pull Though everyone has a different Photo submitted by Mrs. Thurston up to the window with his dog in the car story to tell about him, every memory The Berlin High School community will and introduce him to the entire class. demonstrates the same notion: they miss but never forget Mr. Rex Smith. “After that, the boy always came to prove that Mr. Smith was more than school.” just a teacher. He was a beloved coach, a regardless of how they came to know In addition to teaching math, Mr. mentor to countless students and him, can agree on one thing: Berlin Smith coached the Berlin High School colleagues, and, above all, a good friend. High School will not be the same tennis team for many years. Many of his Everyone whose life Mr. Smith touched, without him. Joe Clifford Returns to BHS as Visiting Author By Samantha Goode Redcoat Review Writer On October 19, author Joe Clifford, a 1988 Berlin High School graduate, came back to his hometown to talk about life as a published author and about his personal life. Clifford is the author of many acclaimed stories, such as the memoir Junkie Love and the Jay Porter mystery series. Clifford demonstrated clearly how Berlin has played a significant role in his books and his writing career. He talked about how a former BHS English teacher told him that he “had a fine flair for writing,” which heavily impacted his confidence. It had been the first time that Photo credit: Mrs. Rice a teacher told him that he was good at Berlin High School graduate and author Joe Clifford speaks to students about the writing something. The idea stuck with Clifford process during his visit on October 19th. for many years, motivating him when going through hard times. mystery novels. things that can pull you out of that type Clifford also described his first book, Clifford told of his struggles of home- of life, and learning is one of them. Lamentation as “a love letter to Berlin.” lessness on the streets of San Francisco Now he is a full time author and has The book takes place in New Hampshire after he flunked out of CCSU. That’s been nominated for many awards, but has plenty of similarities to the town. when he got mixed up with drugs. His including the Anthony Award for The book mentions parallels with aspects recovery included many unsuccessful Best Novel. He currently has a family ranging from Upbeat to the Dairy Queen attempts at rehab until he decided that and teaches writing classes. He writes on Farmington Ave. He says, “Where he would finally turn his life around. In mostly mystery novels because he knew you grow up defines you for better or for his mid-thirties, he went back to CCSU drugs, crime, and convicts and how worse,” and he feels that growing up in and “dedicated [himself] to education.” a small town really helps him craft his Clifford said that there are a few Continued on page 2 Redcoat Review • Page 2 Unsurprisingly, Democrats Take the House By Justin Lamoureux stand to hold a 53-47 majority in the next that Trump is not as well-liked in Redcoat Review Writer Congress. battleground districts with the swing What do these results mean about voters who will likely be instrumental in The Democratic Party surprised the two major parties and where they deciding the results of the next no one when they gained control of the stand with voters? Not as much as one presidential election. House of Representatives in the might think. The House results do not The Democrats did manage to retain Congressional Midterms, which were necessarily mirror President Trump’s Senate seats and win governorships in held in early November. What was equally unpopularity with the electorate, and Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania unsurprising, however, was that the the Senate results do not exactly endorse -- three states that played a pivotal role Republicans not only retained control of him, either. This is because it is in electing Trump -- by decisive margins. the Senate, but they also built on their commonplace for voter discontent to Though the Republicans remain in power majority. harm the president’s party in Midterm in the Senate, the Democrats have made The polarization of such results runs elections. And, in many cases, said significant gains in the House. Prior to the deep: according to Politico, the Democrats disenchantment is more evident on the election, CNN predicted the party would gained 41 seats in the House, effectively local, rather than the state level. need to gain 23 seats to have a majority in securing a majority of 235 seats. (For The Senate results tell us that Presi- the House. Nearly a month later, after clarity, there are 435 seats in the House.) dent Trump remains popular with his several extremely close races and Meanwhile, the Republicans gained 4 core base; remember, with the exception elongated recounts, they have gained Senate seats (which were previously held of Florida (which is considered a nearly twice that number. These results, by Democrats) in Indiana, Missouri, battleground state), every seat the GOP though not conclusive of any one North Dakota, and Florida. Previously, managed to gain in this legislative body meaning, suggest a considerable shift in the GOP had a slim 51-49 majority in the was in reliably Republican states, which demographics, which could pose a Senate; however, having lost two seats voted decisively for President Trump in significant threat to the President’s (one in Arizona, another in Nevada), they 2016. However, the House results suggest re-election prospects. Clifford works with students on writing continued from page 1 When it was difficult to relive his struggles while writing his memoir, he there is more to them than just went more into depth about writing the jurisdiction. whole truth and how oversharing is just Not long ago, Clifford’s brother, Josh, something that comes naturally to many another BHS alumni and star wrestler, writers, despite it being hard to look back passed away due to drinking problems. on bad times. Without this quality, many He talks about how he used his book stories can become one sided and lacking Lamentation as a way to talk to his in depth. All aspects of a story are impor- brother since Josh was too far gone while tant to include, especially in memoirs like Joe was writing this book. He said that his, and that is a point that he wanted to Josh was extremely supportive of being a leave behind. character in Joe’s book and that he never “There are a lot of great things [about told Joe he couldn’t write about anything, Berlin] you don’t get to appreciate the first Photo credit: Mrs. Rice which brought him into the idea that you time around,” says Clifford. “It’s something BHS graduate Joe Clifford has written have to write the whole story. Joe I’ve gotten to cherish as I have gotten several novels, including a series with many mentioned that this idea was an impor- older.” As he said earlier, where you grow references to places in Berlin. tant piece of advice he wanted to pass on up defines you, and we should all feel very to aspiring writers and authors. lucky to grow up in Berlin. Fan of Fantasy? Check out The Name of the Wind By Samuel Turgeon childhood surrounded by incredible the arcane. Kvothe hopes that access to the Redcoat Review Writer actors, musicians and wizards. He resources at The University will help him becomes proficient as both a musician to solve the mystery of who murdered his Patrick Rothfuss’s fantasy novel The and scholar. One day, while Kvothe is family. Name Of The Wind is an incredibly well off in the woods gathering supplies, his I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as written story that troupe is attacked.