Milton Academy - Yearbook (Milton, MA)

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weekly meetings. In addition to supporting a nuclear freeze, STOP's objectives include allow- ing students to discuss their views and to educate themselves and others about the nuclear issue. Swett says, It lets students know that they have a voice and that change is possible. S.T.A.R.T., Students and Teachers for Arms Race Technolo- gy, is an organization which was established at Milton in November of 1982 by Robert Cunha and Ed- ward Shugrue. At this time START supports arms for deterrence as a solution to the nuclear problem. Members would support a bilater- al freeze between the United States and the Soviet Union if each coun- try would allow the other to verify that it is honoring the agreement. Although the United States would permit the Soviets to run such veri- fication checks, the Soviet Union is reluctant to authorize them. Cur- rently, START is headed by Shug- rue, has 52 members, holds biweekly meetings and is organiz- ing a vertical file for the library. X W . . . .. '.zi'I'-T5 ' fp .-' 31' 3,,:1,.igg A 1:4-,Q-1-. J CHRONICLE In the fall of 1983 Channel 5's Chronicle team, headed by co-host Ieanne Blake, arrived here in search of the true Milton Academy. The program on which Milton appeared revolved around special education, showing a small parochial grade school, an acceler- ated program at a public school, and the cream of the crop of pri- vate prep schools. Although the exposure may have, according to one student, been good for recruiting new stu- dents and may have done a lot to make Milton the ideal place to go, the segment on Milton got mixed reviews. No student could possi- bly deny that here hard work is a fact of life and most are highly motivated. In an atmosphere of such high scholastic achievement and competition it is difficult to sit back and watch idly. A 12:1 stu- dent-to-teacher ratio must be an 'teducator's dream. The teachers have a much better chance to relate to the student as an individual. Another good point that the pro- gram did touch upon was the di- versity of the student body. As observed by one foreign exchange student, Milton does have 'tall kinds of religious and ethnic groups. On the other hand, however, the majority of Milton students felt MA'S assets were overshadowed by the emphasis on what a breeze it is for us to get into college and how snobbish we are. According to Ms. Blake, being a Milton graduate vir- tually assures acceptance at the college of your choice. Watching the show, one perplexed student wondered, Why then has my mother been wasting two years of her life being terrified that I won't get into college? Contrary to what the Chronicle team may have be- lieved, many parents send their children to Milton for other reasons besides the guaranteed ac- ceptance to a top-notch college at the end of the line - for exam- ple, an excellent high school edu- cation. Although the tone and self- applied pressures here are all geared towards college atten- dance, we are constantly being re- minded that personal effort, work and knowledge are more impor- tant than grades. The worst part of the show seemed to be Ms. Blake's pro- nounced interest in snobs. She asked one student, Are the rich kids more snobbish? There is no relevance to the program's theme in this query. One student thought 'fthe questions themselves seemed to imply that Milton was snob- bish , a similar view was that ev- ery question led to the final answer 'Milton is a snobbish high school. ' With such a limited focus it's hard to imagine how any of MA,s numerous assets could have shown through. Fortunately a few did and as for those that didn't, we who work, live, and play here know all too well what the Chroni- cle team missed. 43

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ISSUES One of the big changes on cam- pus this year was the reactivation of the Community Service Pro- gram. Under the direction of Mrs. lane Harman, students are once again doing volunteer work on campus, in the town of Milton, and throughout the Greater Boston Area. Through the Program, stu- dents have been able to contribute to their communities and explore career possibilities. Mrs. Harman hopes to see students develop new skills, independence, and social consciousness. Bill Dock, Class III, who has been working at the Low- er School, remarked, 'fIt's so cool. I love it. Another student added, Community Service has given me a new perspective, a new image of myself. Mrs. Harman intends to incorpo- rate as much direct service to peo- ple as possible. The main thrust of the program is outreach, of en- couraging students to leave school and learn from and about sur- rounding communities. Recogniz- ing the realities of urban issues can be an unparalleled educational ex- periencef' Students have been working in a variety of capacities. Iill Labert, Class II, has been a junior volun- teer at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and other students have been involved with other programs such as Adopt-a- Grandparent and the MA food- bank. Now that students have dis- covered that Community Service does not take up a lot of their time -the average commitment is only two or three hours per week for a semester -they have begun to ex- periment with a number of the available opportunities. The Pro- gram, which was moribund for several years, was reactivated 42 when Mr. Theobald asked Mrs. Harman to change jobs from A.V. Director to Community Service Di- rector. Mrs. Harman was ecstatic and delighted. At first, Mrs. Har- man encountered some difficul- ties. In Ianuary, one volunteer had commented that there had not been enough research done on the options available, therefore, stu- dents did not know what to expect when they committed themselves to a program. Mrs. Harman and students are researching on as many programs as possible and are increasing the number of options open to students. Next year, volun- teers can look forward to more op- tions as well as more information on each one. Mrs. Harman is also working to make transportation more accessible to students so that they won't be discouraged by prob- lems with getting to their volun- teer sites. Furthermore, there are sites within walking distance of cam- pus. Students may work at the Glover School, Winter Valley Re- tirement Village, or on campus at the Lower School. IacQuie Parm- lee, Class II, who works with first graders, said, They're so much fun. If I could, I would stay all day with them. Mrs. Harman added, 'fVolunteering is an experience you can always carry with you as special, rewarding, and satis- fying. STOP! START I 1 This year many of Milton's stu- dents and faculty members have focused on the issue of nuclear war. In January guest speakers de- bated presidential policy toward the threat of nuclear war and in February the school took a day off for a Seminar Day on National Security. Two organizations, STOP and START, are encourag- ing both students and teachers to become more aware of this impor- tant problem. S.T.O.P., Student!Teacher Orga- nization to Prevent Nuclear War, is a national organization which was founded two and a half years ago at the Northfield Mount Hermon School. In the fall of 1982, Mr. Pe- ter Keyes and the Public Issues Board decided to begin a S.T.O.P. chapter at Milton. Macgill Iames, '83, then a member of the Public Issues Board, acted as student organizer until Ianuary 1983, when Lyn Swett, '84, assumed the position. Since the spring of 1983, S.T.O.P. has held a bake sale, orga- nized a button and postcard drive, and set up a S.T.O.P. bulletin board. This year, each member of S.T.O.Pfs seven-member board is preparing a lecture on some aspect of the nuclear issue at S.T.O.P.'s

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DRAMA ' : Tradition, Innovation Hold Milton Stage The year in drama proved to be one of both tradition and in- novation. From Schisgal to Shakespeare, Milton heralded per- formances of a broad range and va- riety. Leaving Milton to complete her dissertation, Ms. Carol Banks planned some exciting produc- tions for her final year. The fall play constituted a change from the normal procedure of having one full-length play being performed. Ms. Banks, instead, chose to direct two one-act plays, The Pushcart Peddlers by Murray Schisgal and Hello Out There by William Saroyan. As a refreshing change, 44 studio was used instead of Wigg for the performances, lending a closed-in atmosphere appropriate to the nature of the plays. In both plays, a definite mood was created by the cast and setting, aptly hold- ing the audience's attention with style and flair. Cindy Karter and Ioe Toot in Hello Out There gave notable performances, as did Dave Horowitz and Chris Lemley in The Pushcart Peddlers. Continuing his tradition of directing energetic, well-acted plays and well-attended perfor- mances, Mr. Zilliax produced yet another smash success in the fall playreading, The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder. With a large and talented cast, the day succeeded in keeping the audience in constant roars of laughter. Imported from the Admissions Office, intern Scott Carneal played a staunch and foreboding Horace Vandergilder. Brad Cover was extremely amus- ing as the nervous clerk Cornelius Hackle, while Hope Nye played the vivacious Dolly Levi with flair. As a whole, the play was full of energy, unity, and an impeccable sense of timing so necessary for a successful comedy. It is truly a marvel how with only eight to ten rehearsals prior to performance, such engaging playreadings can be