I am taking six classes my Senior winter. I am subjecting myself to longer nights. The only time I see the sun is when I shuffle between classes—by the time I get back from hockey practice, it’s dark again. This continued grind is not how I envisioned my dwindling time at Andover. Why not just take the standard five classes? I can’t because I need to take six classes in order to fulfill my graduation requirements just as I did for all of Junior year, Lower winter, Lower spring and Upper spring. Four-year Seniors in the class of 2011 have been required to take a full-year course in either music or art, two terms of the other, and a term of theatre. For every subsequent class the requirements were lightened so that they must, according to the Phillips Academy Course of Study, “earn no fewer than four credits in art, music, and theatre and dance, combined, with at least one credit each in art and music.” The requirements for the class of 2011 are monumental, but even the lessened requirements for successive classes are in need of revision. Why should students be forced to take music, art or theatre class if they have no interest? Taking a class for which I’m uninterested and unmotivated could result in a poor grade and take valuable schedule space away from a class I actually want to take. Yet, some may argue that art, theatre and music classes are integral. Classes in the arts are integral to a well-rounded education. They also help students gain valuable perspective and skills. Arts classes even have the potential to help a student uncover hidden talents. Andover should take a clue from Brown University, where they employ a pass-fail system for many of their courses. At Andover, students should be required to take introductory pass-fail art, music, and theatre classes. Allowing a student who is not musically or artistically inclined to take an art class without the fear of harming their grade-point average will give them a well-rounded educations, expand their minds, and allow them to express themselves. Julia Dean is a four-year senior from New York, NY and a News Editor for the Phillipian.
