About once every three weeks for the last thirty weeks I watched someone cry. They were always easy to recognize. Down in the newsroom, they would stare into the screen of their computer with their eyes swelling or choke-up as they tried to respond to a question. I think I was a better psychiatrist than Editor in Chief. I wonder what drives us – Phillipian staff, as well as everyone at Andover – to fight the way we do. Sure, some of us have our futures in mind. But college acceptance, or fame, or fortune, do not suffice to explain our fight. As if a primeval drive to achieve, our pursuit of excellence often goes beyond rationality. When you haven’t slept for days, endeavoring to push the envelope is suddenly much less attractive, but we do it anyway. It was in this spirit that The Phillipian grew under CXXX, and CXXX grew under The Phillipian. It has been an incredible year for us. For twenty-nine papers and one Commencement edition this community has allowed CXXX to operate entirely independently, as it has for more than a half century. You, our readers and our community, gave us the opportunity to realize our greatest aspirations. We are very, very grateful. “Prometheus, teacher in every art, Brought the fire that hath proved to mortals, A means to mighty ends.” – Aeschylus Regards, /s/ James Sawabini
