The sound of the popping corks resounded off the mahogany-paneled walls of the Board of Trustees room, and the mood was light as Andover’s most important people celebrated last night. Amid the festivities, The Newsly Times managed to catch hold of Head of Admissions John Landis for a quick interview. “We did it,” he said ecstatically before returning to the punch table. He could not be found to comment at any other period during the night. It has taken 187 years, but Andover has finally accomplished one of its oldest goals. The vibe given off by the higher-ups was reflected among the normal people who gathered on the lawn of Samuel Phillips Hall to enjoy the occasion. Says four-year Senior Albus Martin, “My grandfather went here and nothing changed. My father went here and nothing changed. Now I am here, and it has changed. I am glad to be a part of history. This is something my children, and their children, will enjoy.” Martin’s joviality is echoed among his peers, who seem to recognize the magnitude of the event. Unlike Martin, whose family has bled Big Blue for generations, Beth Tarlusky is a first year Upper and the first of her family to go to school. Still, even she seems to be aware of how significant the day is. “It is unbelievable,” she said. “I usually always have something to say, but now I’m speechless.” Some of the more enterprising students have been selling framed and dated photos of the event. Instead of discouraging the for-profit enterprise, many administrators have either bought the pictures or have turned a blind eye, at least during duration of the celebrations. “It’s the sixties, baby,” yelled one half-naked teacher from the roof of George Washington Hall. The Newsly Times has been asked to maintain the teacher’s anonymity. Recent events drew a stark contrast from the attitude of the past decade, when rules were just as hard as the hickory switches that were used to enforce them. At one point, the Blue Book was enforced so strictly that Head of School Amelia Fawkes was jokingly called “Mussolinia.” James Kraft, a student during those years, had much to say on the topic. “You would think that the administration members were born at forty years old, like they had skipped their teenage years. If they had a way to test us for alcohol, they probably would have.” For now, however, nothing can seem to put a damper on the mood. The most recent World War seemed to occur more than twenty years ago, and no danger seems to loom on the horizon. For tonight, it is the celebration of youth, of adulthood and of life. We did it, Big Blue!
