Responses to “GSA Dance: A Celebration of Lewdness” (10/12)

By Chase Ebert ’09

To the Editor:
In last week’s Phillipian Sebastian Becker ’10 made a bold stand for his beliefs by denouncing the alleged lewdness of the GSA dance. However, close reading reveals that Mr. Becker’s article consists of logical fallacy after logical fallacy, and I have some responses to several of his comments.

He began his article by professing his surprise and subsequent discomfort at arriving at the Ryley Room only to encounter people dressed in drag. His tone suggests that the GSA in some way sprang this feature of the dance on the unsuspecting student body; however, several of the GSA posters Mr. Becker acknowledged as being seemingly omnipresent around campus stated clearly that there would be a drag contest. The Weekender itself told students to “come in drag.” So I ask Mr. Becker, what did you expect? A formal garden party?

Also, the cross dressing behavior Mr. Becker referred...

Response to Articles and Letters on Andover’s Response to 9/11

By Hoonie Moon ’10

To the Editor:
Jenn Schaffer’s commentary, “Why Have We Forgotten 9/11?” has sparked much controversy among readers of The Phillipian. Three weeks ago, Ms. Schaffer claimed that the PA administration made a conscious decision not to commemorate 9/11, because of its “determination to be an international school.” Following the article’s publication, two letters to the editor have presented contrasting views, promoting a discussion on “the day that altered the course of history for us all.” However, in the flurry of heated debate, a most fundamental fact has been overlooked; whatever the circumstance, 9/11 simply cannot be forgotten.

Ms. Schaffer failed to provide any evidence on the supposed connection between the absence of a 9/11 commemoration and Andover’s “determination to be an international school.” As Erica Harris, the writer of the first letter to the editor, noted, Phillips Academy is not an international school, but rather an American school with...

Praise for Phillipian CXXX

By Meredith Price

I have been reading Phillipians since September 1963 when I joined the English department. Usually when I wrote in I complained about something (like a previous board’s penchant for making fun of PG’s.) I cannot summon up enough superlatives to praise adequately the content and the writing in the October 5 issue. The range of serious issues treated respectfully was unparalleled. Without exception each writer had something important to say and did so effectively. I was particularly impressed by the thoroughness of your attention to eating disorders. As you point out, this is a national and, I assume, a worldwide problem. Knowing and working with previous editors of the paper, including the first female president, Louise Kennedy (catch her eloquent reviews of plays for The Boston Globe), I know how much pressure and how many sleepless nights go into writing what must arguably be the best high...

The Library - An Overblown Issue?

By Michelle Ma '11

To the Editor:
For the past few weeks, the circulating question on campus has been whether or not the library should continue to act as the social hub of student life. The announcement of stricter reinforcement of library policies has been met with an uproar of student opposition. With the closing of Commons approaching and its relocation to the old ice hockey rink, many people fear that there will no longer be a central place for students to socialize, adding even more to Andover’s already stressful environment. On the other hand, some say that the library is preserving its integrity as a place of quiet study by enforcing tighter regulations. At All School Meetings, in a myriad of student articles, even as a group on Facebook, the issue of the library has been analyzed from every possible angle, and frankly, it has been blown totally out of...

Keep the Arts in Arts

By Lucas McMahon '08

To the Editor:
This week, upon reading The Phillipian, I was shocked and mildly disturbed by the article “The Secret Diary” in the Arts section of the paper. The article, an excerpt from a female student’s diary, described the author searching for her crush’s schedule and mapping out his prospective pathway routes. However, this was not what ultimately upset me. The content of the article was sweet and honest, if a little over-the-top; rather; I was stunned that the article had been included in the Arts section of the paper. As I reread the article, I could not fathom why the article was prominently featured in a section dedicated to covering Arts at Phillips Academy and beyond.

The differing of opinions and interests of the student body is clearly a huge asset of this school. I believe that these differences are reflected in the readership of The Phillipian. Admittedly,...