ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College

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ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
WINTER 2018 VOL. 89 NO. 2

                            ARE YOU BEING LIED TO?
                               Bowdoin experts have the answer—
                                 to this and nine other questions.
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Contents
             WINTER 2018 VOL. 89 NO. 2

                                                                                                                 Forward
 “ When I was
   little, I thought                                                                                         5     Bears with Brooms: In the spirit of the game,
                                                                                                                   Bowdoin curlers never lose.
   you had to
   wear a suit                                                                                               6     An Uphill Climb to South Korea: Kaitlynn Miller ’14
                                                                                                                   kicks her way onto the US Ski Team for the Pyeongchang
   and carry a                                                                                                     Olympic games.
   briefcase to                                                                                              7     Dine: A favorite winter recipe from the Barefoot
   play squash.”                                             26 Ask Bowdoin                                        Contessa’s Lidey Heuck ’13.
                                                                Forget searching the web—when you really
              —BARRETT TAKESIAN ’12                             want to know the answer to a question, you   8     Did You Know? Ten facts about the historic autumn
                                                                need to ask an expert.                             windstorm, illustrated by Harry Malt.

                                                                                                             18    Column: Family history comes alive for a campus visitor.

                                                                                                                                                                                  Connect
                                                                                                                                                                              45 Elizabeth Lee ’10 talks human rights.

                                                             36 As Maine Goes                                                                                                 49 Geoffrey Brown ’74 on journalism’s role as
                                                                In 1966, a seminal photography exhibition                                                                           “the first rough draft of history.”
                                                                opened Maine’s eyes, and the country’s,
                                                                to the need for environmental change.                                                                         53 Malia Wedge ’98 creates the Athleta catalog.

                                                                                                                                                                                  In Every Issue
                                                                                                                                                                              4     Respond

20 Rallying Portland                                         42 Q&A: Dana Spector ’08                                                                                         44 Whispering Pines
   Barrett Takesian ’12 is changing students’ trajectories      The literary rights agent talks about
   with an innovative urban squash program.                     turning books into TV shows and movies.                                                                       64 Discuss

                                                                                                                                                                                           BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 1
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
The Brunswick Mall, February 1927

                                                         Photo postcard by Leon B. Strout from the Brunswick Area
                                                         Photograph Collection, George J. Mitchell Department of
                                                         Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library

2 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU   BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 3
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Inform
  Respond
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Forward
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               FROM BOWDOIN AND BEYOND
                                                                                                                                                                              Thomas Ezquerro ’18,
                                                                                                                                                                              Isabella Vakkur ’20, and
                                                                                                                                                                              Cole Hamel ’18

                                                                                                                          MAGAZINE STAFF

                                                                                                                          Editor
  Midge and Ed Minot ’70 on                                                                                               Matthew J. O’Donnell
  Kent Island, Summer 2017.
  They met as students at the
                                                                                                                          Executive Editor
  scientific station in 1969.                                                                                             Alison M. Bennie
                                                                                                                          Director of Editorial Services
                                                                                                                          Scott C. Schaiberger ’95

Thanking the Minots                                                                                                       Design Director
                                                                                                                          Melissa Wells
                                                                                                                          Design Consultant
I WAS THRILLED to see Fred Field’s photo of Lily Bailey ’18 and Emma Greenberg ’18 sleeping under
the stars at Kent Island (Fall 2017). However, I was sorry to see that you did not credit the summer
                                                                                                                          2COMMUNIQUÉ
                                                                                                                          Contributors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       BEARS WITH
2017 interim director of Kent Island, Ed Minot ’70, and assistant director, Midge Minot, both of                          James Caton                                                                                  BROOMS
whom are Kent Island alumni. Ed and Midge gamely stepped in to serve as interim directors after                           Douglas Cook
Don Dearborn stepped down from the directorship. The Minots traveled from New Zealand to                                  John R. Cross ’76                                                                            In the sport of curling, the “spirit”
Maine in April to begin preparations for the summer on Kent Island and recently returned home                             Leanne Dech                                                                                  of the game governs the actions of
to New Zealand. Professor Patricia Jones will have her first summer as director at Kent Island this                       Rebecca Goldfine                                                                             players, on and off the ice.
summer, along with Ian Kyle ’06, who is the assistant director.                                                           Scott W. Hood                                                                                   It is partly that congeniality and
                                                                                                                          Micki Manheimer                                                                              convivial competitiveness that
Liz Armstrong is associate director of gift planning.                                                                     Megan Morouse                                                                                has helped Bowdoin’s seven-year-
Editor: For more on Bowdoin’s Scientific Station on Kent Island, go to bowdoin.edu/kent-island.                           Tom Porter                                                                                   old curling team go from obscure
                                                                                                                          On the cover: Illustration by Hanna Barczyk                                                  to super-hip. When cocaptains
CORRECTION:                     great interest.                students attending                 have a parent or a                                                                                                   Thomas Ezquerro ’18 and Cole
Last summer on Kent             The “Bowdoin Class             [in the] fall is very              grandparent who is a    BOWDOIN MAGAZINE (ISSN, 0895-2604) is                                                        Hamel ’18 joined the team as first-
Island, Lily Bailey             of 2021 by the Num-            impressive. There                  graduate. Additional    published three times a year by Bowdoin College,                                             year students, there were only five
’18 conducted field             bers” (Spring/Sum-             was a time, however,               class members have      4104 College Station, Brunswick, Maine, 04011.                                               other players. This year, there are
research on forest              mer 2017) particularly         that sending sons and              a sibling or other      Printed by J.S. McCarthy, Augusta, Maine. Sent                                               twenty-eight. A little more than
regeneration and                caught my attention.           daughters to Bowdoin               connection to the       free of charge to all Bowdoin alumni, parents of                                             half are women.
Emma Greenberg ’18              As Bowdoin, like               in the fall, at least in           College.                current and recent undergraduates, members of                                                   In curling, there is no advantage
on storm-petrels.               others, strives to build       song, was a goal of                                        the senior class, faculty and staff, and members                                             to being large or small, a seasoned
                                diversity, national and        many alumni. Are leg-              STAY IN TOUCH!          of the Association of Bowdoin Friends.                                                       athlete or someone new to sports,
A QUESTION                      international distri-          acy admissions still a             Reach out and update                                                                                                 an accessibility that appeals to team
OF LEGACY                       bution, financial aid,         meaningful number?                 us on what you’ve       Opinions expressed in this magazine are those                                                member Isabella Vakkur ’20. “You
I’m a strong support-           and other attributes,          Bob Spencer ’60                    been up to since        of the authors.                                                                              can join with no exposure to curling,
er of the College and           these numbers can                                                 graduation. Send us                                                                                                  and all of a sudden you’re playing
a fan of the magazine,          claim success. Doing           Editor: Nine percent               an email at alumni@     Please send address changes, ideas, or letters                                               that sport people know from the
which I read with               so with fewer than 500         of the Class of 2021               bowdoin.edu.            to the editor to the address above or by email                                               Olympics,” Ezquerro added.
                                                                                                                          to bowdoineditor@bowdoin.edu. Send class                                                        Hamel says the Bowdoin Curling
                                                                                                                          news to classnews@bowdoin.edu or to the                                                      Team lives and plays by this up-
                                                                                                                          address above. Advertising inquiries? Email                                                  beat motto: “We may not always
       facebook.com/bowdoin                            @BowdoinCollege                                  @bowdoincollege   magazineads@bowdoin.edu.                                                                     win, but we never lose.”

4 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                                    PHOTO: FRED FIELD   PHOTO: KEVIN MORRIS        BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 5
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward

                                                                                          Kaitlynn Miller ’14
                                                                                   (right) and a Craftsbury
                                                                                    teammate training last
                                                                                    fall in the mountains of
                                                                                               New Zealand.

                                                                                                                  Environment
                                                                                                                                                                                           Dine

                                                                                                                 PUTTING                                                                  Nachos a                                  Preheat oven to 400. Place the squash on a sheet
                                                                                                                 SUSTAINABILITY                                                           New Way                                   pan, add two tablespoons of the olive oil, the cinna-

                                                                                                                 TO WORK                                                                  Recipe by Lidey Heuck ’13
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    mon, and a half-teaspoon of the salt, and toss lightly.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Roast for thirty to thirty-five minutes, until tender.

                                                                                                                 Bowdoin’s “EcoReps”—all twenty-                                          Serves eight to ten                        Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of the butter and
                                                                                                                 eight of them—have become real                                                                                     two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan
                                                                                                                 change agents in recent years.                                           1 small butternut squash, peeled,         over medium heat. Add the onions and cover for
                                                                                                                 With guidance from the Office                                            seeded, and ¾-inch diced                  ten minutes to let them steam. Remove the lid and
                                                                                                                 of Sustainability, these student                                                                                   continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring
 Alumni Life                                                                                                                                                                              4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
                                                                                                                 workers are successfully impacting                                                                                 occasionally, for about forty-five minutes, until the
                                                                                                                                                                                          divided
                                                                                                                 the quality of life on campus for                                                                                  onions are caramelized and golden brown. Add the

An Uphill Climb                                                                    cated, caring coach
                                                                                   (Nathan Alsobrook
                                                                                                                 everyone.
                                                                                                                    When the program first started
                                                                                                                                                                                          ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
                                                                                                                                                                                          1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    vinegar and a half-teaspoon of the salt and cook
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    for two more minutes, scraping the brown bits from

to South Korea                                                                     ’97) inspired me and
                                                                                   motivated me to keep
                                                                                   at it.”
                                                                                                                 in 2004, an EcoRep was assigned
                                                                                                                 to each of the six first-year resi-
                                                                                                                 dence halls. Now, EcoReps have
                                                                                                                                                                                          3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
                                                                                                                                                                                          softened, divided
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Place the cooked squash in the bowl of a food
Kaitlynn Miller ’14 received a surprise phone call                                    Read more about            formal affiliations with every type
                                                                                                                                                                                          4 small yellow onions,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    processor. Add the chipotle pepper, maple syrup,
from the US Ski Team on January 24 and became                                      Miller and her                of student housing on campus,                                                                                      chicken broth, remaining butter, and another
                                                                                                                                                                                          sliced 1/8-inch thick
the first Bowdoin Olympian in twenty-six years.                                    skiing career on her          across all class years. Their                                                                                      half-teaspoon of salt and process until smooth. If
                                                                                   blog, where you’ll            straightforward tips are about em-                                       2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar           the puree seems very thick, add an additional ¼ cup
                                                                                   also find that she’s          bracing simple changes—turn off                                                                                    chicken stock.
                                                                                                                                                                                          1 small (or half of one large) chipotle
WHILE ROLLER-SKIING            After graduating,         gest-ever cross-country   an accomplished               the lights, take the stairs, recycle—
                                                                                                                                                                                          pepper in adobo sauce
on the back roads           Miller returned to           ski teams, Miller was     painter and knitter:          but add up significantly in a college                                                                              Spread one layer of tortilla chips onto the sheet
of Brunswick and            her home state of Ver-       an alternate for the      kaitlynnmiller.blog-          setting. And since the EcoReps                                           1 tablespoon maple syrup                  pan you used to roast the squash. Spoon half of the
Harpswell during her        mont and joined the          30k classic mass start,   spot.com.                     make a conscious effort to not                                                                                     squash mixture on top, distributing it as evenly as
                                                                                                                                                                                          1/3 cup chicken broth
time as a Bowdoin           Craftsbury Green Rac-        which was the final                                     be police-like, students are more                                                                                  you can. Spoon half the caramelized onions on top
undergraduate, Kait-        ing Project. Despite         cross-country event       Kaitlynn Miller ’14           accepting and willing to adapt.                                          1 16-oz. bag corn tortilla chips          of that, followed by half the cheese.
lynn Miller ’14 didn’t      a strong start to the        and the de facto “mar-    is the seventh Bowdoin           Bowdoin’s EcoRep program
                                                                                                                                                                                          3 cups shredded fontina d’aosta
exactly have the Olym-      2017–18 season, the          athon” of the winter      graduate to make an           stands apart from that of other                                                                                    Repeat with remaining chips, squash, onions, and
pic anthem playing in       Olympic team still           games.                    Olympic team, including       colleges because our reps are                                            3 cups shredded Monterey jack             cheese to make one more layer. Bake for ten min-
her head. “It wasn’t        seemed like a long              “Skiing for Bow-       1984 marathon gold            formally trained, meet weekly as a                                                                                 utes, until the cheese has melted and is beginning
                                                                                                                                                                                          1 Hass avocado, small-diced
until my junior year        shot for her until she       doin was key in my        medalist Joan Benoit          group to devise new initiatives and                                                                                to brown at the edges. Sprinkle with diced avocado
that I considered rac-      recorded a pair of           continued love of the     Samuelson ’79 (see            tactics, and—notably—are paid.                                           ¼ cup salted pepitas                      and pepitas and serve.
                                                                                                                                                             DID YOU KNOW?
ing professionally after    top finishes at the US       sport,” Miller says.      page 31) and Elizabeth        And for many past EcoReps, what             Nachos were invented at
college,” recalls Miller.   National Champion-           “Training and racing      Frazier Youngman              started as a campus job a few               a restaurant in Mexico,                                                Lidey Heuck ’13 works as an assistant to Ina Garten,
“And only in my wild-       ships in early January.      with fun, hard-work-      ’81, the only Bowdoin         hours per week has evolved into             but tortilla chips were                                                helping manage Barefoot Contessa’s social media
                                                                                                                                                             first sold and popularized
est dreams did I think         On what is consid-        ing, and supportive       two-time Olympian, who        professional careers in renewable                                                                                  platforms as well as testing recipes. She and Garten were
                                                                                                                                                             as a packaged snack by
I could possibly end up     ered to be one of the        teammates under the       cross-country skied for the   energy and environmental policy,            a Los Angeles tortilla                                                 featured in the Bowdoin magazine cover story for our
at the Olympics.”           United States’ stron-        guidance of a dedi-       US in 1988 and 1992.          among other endeavors.                      manufacturer.                                                          Winter 2015 issue. Follow Lidey’s blog at lideystable.com.

6 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                  PHOTO: KAITLYNNMILLER.BLOGSPOT.COM                                                                          BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 7
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward                                                                                                     3
                                                                                                            Campus lost power
                                                                                                            on both the north
                                                                                                                                                    4
                                                                                                                                                    The highest meal
                                                                                                                                                                                              5
                                                                                                                                                                                              900 portions
                                                                                                            and south sides                         count was close to                        of pesto pizza
                                                                                                            concurrently, which                     1,425 at lunch on                         were served.
                                                                                                            is rare—maybe once                      Monday.                                   Additionally, an
                                                                                                            a decade.                                                                         item that must have
                                                                                                                                                                                              broken a record
                                                                                                                                                                                              was 2,160 portions
                                                                                                                                                                                              of chicken fingers
                                                                                                                                                                                              served at Monday’s
                                                                                                                                                                                              dinner.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    6
                                                           2
                                                           Some of the pines
                                                           that came down
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Fifteen grounds
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    department staff
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    and two vendors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    with an additional
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    six people per-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    formed the cleanup.
                                                           by Moulton Union
                                                           were sixty to seventy
                                                           years old and about
                                                           seventy-five to
                                                           eighty feet tall.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       7The oak trees that
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        came down on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        the Main Quad
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        were four feet in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        diameter, over 100
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        years old, and at
   Did You Know?                                                                                                                                                                                                        least 100 feet high.

  Wind Storm
  Ten facts from the wicked wind
                                                                                   1
                                                                                   We lost forty-two

                                                                                                                                                                         9
                                                                                   trees on campus
  storm that blew across campus

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      8
                                                                                   and nine trees at
  last fall                                                                        Sawyer Park where

                                                                                                                              10
                                                                                   the rowing facility is
                                                                                   located.
  Illustration by Harry Malt
                                                                                                                                                                         Between the
                                                                                                                                                                         grounds personnel                                                             The oak was
  THE WIND STORM that hammered much of                                                                                                                                   and vendors, seven                                                            salvaged for
                                                                                                                              We plan on
                                                                                                                                                                         chainsaws and one                                                             cordwood—
  Maine on October 29 left 484,000 Mainers                                                                                    replanting ten
                                                                                                                                                                         stump grinder were                                                            estimated eight to
                                                                                                                              trees in areas that
  without power, including everyone on campus.                                                                                                                           used.                                                                         ten cords—for next
                                                                                                                              suffered the most
  Classes were canceled on Monday and Tues-                                                                                   losses.                                                                                                                  year’s firewood
  day, and students hunkered down in Thorne                                                                                                                                                                                                            donation program.
  Dining Hall—which was powered by generators
  and dining staff working overtime—to plug in,
  study, and eat, while facilities crews worked to
  clean up the grounds.

  8 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                                                                                               BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 9
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Sound Bite
                                                                                                Academics

 Campus Life                                                                                   ECOPOETICS
                                                                                                                                                                                                             “ We are living through a
                                                                                               IN PRACTICE                                                                                                     revolution that I believe
Bowdoin                                                                                                                                                                                                        future historians will
Dog Spotter                                                                                    “Students in my Ecopoetics course, which
                                                                                               examines the ways in which poetry has long
                                                                                                                                                                            IN SEASON                          judge to be a significant
“People love talking about
                                                                                               engaged environmental issues, from land
                                                                                               management to the technical manipulation of
                                                                                                                                                                            Freezing rain on Christmas Eve
                                                                                                                                                                            coated the quiet Bowdoin
                                                                                                                                                                                                               turning point in history.”
 their dogs,” says Audrey                                                                      ‘raw’ nature, worked on creative projects that                               campus with ice.                                                                   —SENATOR GEORGE J. MITCHELL ’54, H’83
                                                                                 Elsa, mutt:
 Reuman ’21, who created the                                                      “Favorite
                                                                                               required them to engage with a public database                                                                                    DECEMBER 4, 2017, FROM HIS TALK, “PUBLIC SERVICE IN TIMES LIKE THESE,”
 popular Instagram account                                                 pastime? Fetch!”    of environmental data (NASA, EPA, or other                                                                         MODERATED BY PRESIDENT ROSE, PICKARD THEATER. WATCH IT ON TALKS.BOWDOIN.EDU.

 @bowdoindogspotter. “And                                                                      publicly accessible database) by bringing
                                                                                               those documents into poetry,” says Assistant
 I love hearing about them!”
                                                                                               Professor of English Samia Rahimtoola. “The
                                                                                               idea was to push students to invent new ways of                                                                 Archives
                                                                                               circulating environmental data and informing
  Arla, 14, golden                                                                             environmental literacy through poetry.
  retriever:                                                                                   I want students to know that broad-based
  “Loves to                                                                                    environmental studies can include the study—
  people watch.”
                                                                                               not to mention making—of environmental
                                                                                               cultures through art and poetry.”

                                                                                               Delta
                                                                                               Puffs of cotton, orbs laced with brittle stems;
                                                                                               wisps in drifts alongside dirt roads.

                                                                                               Okra growing in a community garden.

                                                                                               Share a garden plot, or hell, share a universe:
                                                   Reggie, black lab:
                                                   “He loves to eat.”
                                                                                               asparagus and carrot tops in careful lines with
                                                                                               supernovas; potatoes, a subterranean asteroid belt,                                                                                                                                    Dick Gregory
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     on the steps of
                                                                                               potato bugs (a nickel for an adult, a dime for an                                                                                                                                     Memorial Hall.
                                                                                               egg cluster) still ravaging celestial leaves.
                                                                                                                          —KATHERINE MORSE-GAGNE ’19
                                                                                                                                                                                                              A Force of Change
                                                                                               from Chasm
                                                                                               When glaciers melt, the water drains down through                                                              Fifty years ago, on February 14, 1968, comedian and civil rights activist
                                                                                               the ice and then under its former self, toward the                                                             Dick Gregory spoke to an overflow crowd in Pickard Theater on racial
                                                                                               sea. During the latter stage of the flow, meltwater                                                            inequality in America and the need for young people to be a force of
                                                                                               carves space between the bedrock below and                                                                     change against it. His words must have had an impact—in the issue of
                                                                             Roger, 7, mini    the ice above. It leaves tunnels that you can walk                                                             The Orient printed two days after Gregory’s visit, the editors endorsed his
                                                                        schnauzer: “During     through in its wake. Sometimes the channels                                                                    presidential run.
  Peary, 1, English bulldog:                                             campus break, I let   connect suddenly, your dormant one and its active
  “He’s named after the                                                 him off leash to run
  Arctic Museum.”                                                                  around.”    neighbor merging.                                                                                              Explore Bowdoin’s history through the Library’s digital collections, including issues
                                                                                                                                  —ANNA BLAUSTEIN ’19                                                         of The Orient dating back to its first publication in 1871: library.bowdoin.edu

10 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                                 PHOTO: FRED FIELD                                                                  BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 11
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward

                                                                                                          50
                                                                                                                                        On View

 By the Numbers                                                                                                                                                                                                       On the Shelf

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Paleoart: Visions of the Prehistoric Past
Application                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ZOË LESCAZE ’12

                                                           1,097
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (Taschen, 2017)
Facts & Figures                                                                                            US states represented,                                                                                                                Art critic and journalist Zoë
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Lescaze’s new book captures the
                                                                                                           plus Guam, the Mariana
                                                                               Applied via                 Islands, Puerto Rico, the                                                                                                            imagination of readers across the
All admitted students in the Class of                                          Early Decision              US Virgin Islands, and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                country, including critics at The
2022 will receive word from the                                                                            Washington, DC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                New York Times and National Geo-
College by April 1. Here’s how the                                                                                                                                                                                                              graphic. While it focuses on ancient
class is shaping up so far.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     species long gone, the artists’ at-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     tempts at visualizations of dinosaurs are more relevant than

                                                                                        2,089
                                          9,081
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ever as we grapple with the looming threats of climate change.

                                                                                            Applicants

4,383                                                                                       interviewed                                  Mark Baum, Processional, 1957, oil
                                                     Total applicants                       with the                                     on canvas, 22 in. x 26 in., Bowdoin
                                                     (25% increase                          College                                      College Museum of Art, gift of
                                                     over prior year)                                                                    Paul F. and William M. Baum.
              High schools
              represented

                                                                                                                                       New Ways to Look
                                                   1,538                                                                               at the World
1,294
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Searching for Boko Haram                   After Paradise, a novel
                                                          Submitted their
                                                          application on the                                                           Challenging conventions at the Bowdoin                                        SCOTT MACEACHERN                           set in 1940s Maine
                                                          January 1 deadline                                                           College Museum of Art                                                         Professor of Anthropology                  ROBLEY WILSON ’52
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (Oxford University                         (Black Lawrence
                             Students referenced                                                                                                                                                                     Press, 2018)                               Press, 2017)
                             a “friend” for how
                                                                                                                                       FAMILIAR SUBJECTS made to look          including a work by immigrant art-
                             they first learned
                             about Bowdoin                                                                                             strange, that’s the theme of the        ist Mark Baum (1903–1997). Born
                                                                                                                                       exhibition “Looking Anew: Art and       in central Europe, he was close to
                                                                                                                                       Estrangement, 1900–2000,” which         members of the New York School.
                                                                                                                                       runs until April 8 and considers           Baum’s 1957 oil painting

117
                                                                                                                                       one particularly innovative aspect      Processional typifies the spiritual
                                                                                                                                       of twentieth-century art: its ability   nature of his work. The depiction
                                                                                                                                       to produce effects of estrangement.     of stairs, suggesting a path of
                                                                                                                                       Many twentieth-century artists          enlightenment, and the use of
                                                                                                                                       adopted this approach to encourage      bright colors in gradual pro-
                                                                                                                                       viewers to think critically about       gression, are recurring motifs in
                       Countries                                                                                                       everything they see, including          Baum’s work. Although not as          A Catalog of Birds,                        The War on Kids: How
                       represented                                                                                                     artwork and society at large. Each      commercially successful as some       a novel by                                 American Juvenile
                                                                                                                                       artist in this exhibition came to a     of his contemporaries, Baum           LAURA HARRINGTON ’76                       Justice Lost Its Way
                                                                                                                                       different conclusion about how to       remained active for most of his       (Europa, 2017)                             CARA DRINAN ’96
                                                                                                                                       accomplish that.                        life and worked well into his nine-                                              (Oxford University
                                                                                                                                          The show features a number of        ties, spending most of the year in                                               Press, 2017)
                                                                                                                                       new acquisitions by the Museum,         Ogunquit, Maine.

12 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018                                                                                                        PHOTO: LUC DEMERS                                                                          BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 13
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward

                                                                               Starting point guard Taylor      Student Life
                                                                                 Choate ’19 averaged nine
                                                                                    points per game in the
                                                                                   regular season and had                                               MOHAMED SAIDOU CAMARA ’16
                                                                                        thirty-eight steals.

                                                                                                                                                        Hometown: New York, New York
                                                                                                                                                        Major: Anthropology
                                                                                                                                                        Minor: African Studies
                                                                                                                                                        Studied in Chile

                                                                                                                                                        I appreciate the incredible diversity that we have here in the States
                                                                                                                                                        more. Here, people come from so many different backgrounds
                                                                                                                                                        with distinct points of view. This was something I took for granted,
                                                                                                                                                        and it took being away for me to see it.

                                                                                                                                           “How has your perspective
                                                                                                                                            of the US changed after
 Game On                                                                                                                                    having spent time abroad?”

Taking It                                                                                                      JULIA AMSTUTZ ’19

to the Hoop                                                                                                    Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
                                                                                                               Major: Government and Legal Studies
                                                                                                               Studied in Morocco
DESPITE FRIGID OUTSIDE temperatures, the
women’s basketball team heated up Morrell                                                                      I’ve become simultaneously more critical and appreciative of the
Gymnasium this winter, enjoying one of the                                                                     United States and its politics, freedoms, and culture. Physically
finest regular seasons in the history of the                                                                   leaving helped me view the US through a more-removed perspec-
storied program.                                                                                               tive and underscored both its exceptional and less-than-
   The Polar Bears finished the regular season                                                                 wonderful aspects.
with a near-perfect 23-1 record, tied for the sec-
ond-best start to a season in school history, and
reached as high as a number-three ranking in                                                                                                            EZRA RICE ’19
the Division III polls. Entering postseason play,
the Polar Bears averaged 82.7 points per game                                                                                                           Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
(fifth in the country) and allowed a measly 46.4                                                                                                        Major: Government and Legal Studies
points per game (third in the nation), result-                                                                                                          Studied in Spain
ing in a Division III-best +36.3 scoring margin
for the year. The lone blemish on their record                                                                                                          I better recognize the distinct path our country has taken and the
came in a 49-45 setback at top-ranked Amherst                                                                                                           opportunities and limitations thereby offered. While graduating
on January 27.                                                                                                                                          seniors in America can look forward to youth unemployment [rates]
   To follow the Polar Bears’ postseason run,                                                                                                           under 9 percent (Spain’s rate is 38 percent), their parents can
visit Bowdoin Athletics at goubears.com or                                                                                                              alternatively envy yearly tuition bills of $3,000 in Spain. For all of
download the Bowdoin Front Row app for the                                                                                                              our disagreements, having traveled through Europe, I realize Ameri-
latest scores, news, and updates.                                                                                                                       cans are more alike in our values and aspirations than we realize.

14 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU   PHOTO: BRIAN BEARD                                                                                         BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 15
ARE YOU BEING LIED TO? - Bowdoin College
Forward

                                                                                                                                           On Stage

 Courses
                                                                                                                                          What Keeps
FROM TRUMAN TO TRUMP:
TEACHING US HISTORY
SINCE 1945
                                                                                                                                          Mankind Alive?
                                                           Faculty & Staff
Brian Purnell                                                                                                                             WHEN BOWDOIN’S THEATER department staged
Geoffrey Canada Associate Professor of Africana                                                                                           Bertolt Brecht’s 1928 musical The Threepenny
Studies and History                                                                                                                       Opera last fall, director Davis Robinson knew its
                                                                                                                                          major themes of social injustice and capital-
After WWII, the US became a new nation. The                                                                                               ism remained relevant. But as more and more
country, and indeed the world, that emerged after                                                                                         famous men began to be exposed for sexual
1945 created the economies, cultures, politics, and                                                                                       offenses, another of the play’s subjects, sexual
technologies that shape our contemporary life. To                                                                                         misconduct, also became timely.
know who we are now as a nation, we must study                                                                                               One of the production’s songs, “The Ballad
this history.                                                                                                                             of Sexual Dependency,” is about how even
                                                                                                                                          pious men might fall victim to their sexual
                                                                                                                                          obsessions. The Bowdoin production drew “a
HOW DIGITAL TECHNIQUES                                                                                                                    direct line between the hypocrisy Brecht was
CAN ENHANCE OUR                                                                                                                           trying to point out and current events,”
UNDERSTANDING OF TEXT                                                                                                                     Robinson said.
                                                                                                                                             Along with the student cast, Robinson
Fernando Nascimento                                                                                                                       worked with Brenna Nicely ’10, education and
Postdoctoral Fellow in Digital and                                                                               Dusk, Southport, 2010,   community manager at the American Reper-
                                                                                                                acrylic and oil on wood
Computational Studies                                                                                         panel, 24” x 30 ¾” inches   tory Theater in Boston, who consulted on the
                                                                                                                                          script and Threepenny Opera’s historical, cultural,
How can we make sense of the burgeoning number                                                                                            and literary context.
of textual sources in a timely manner? What new
questions can be answered by computer-based text
                                                          THIRTY YEARS OF ART
analysis? I help students blend digital explanation       AND TECHNOLOGY                                                                  Amber Barksdale ’18 in
                                                                                                                                          the role of Polly Peachum
with hermeneutical understanding to address ques-
tions from the whole spectrum of the liberal arts.        Tad Macy worked as an artist until      first Internet connections, first
                                                          an interest in computer games and       web servers, and campuswide
                                                          how they were made led him to           email system. After many years in
SHOPPING, COOKIES,                                        programming in the mid-eighties. In     leadership roles, including time as
AND MATH                                                  February, Macy returned to art full-    interim director of the department,
                                                          time when he retired from Bowdoin       he returned to developing software
Amanda Redlich                                            after thirty years in the information   for academic web-based projects
Assistant Professor of Mathematics                        technology department. Macy’s           and business processes and retired
                                                          long career at Bowdoin began as         as a senior software engineer and
I teach courses in multivariate calculus, probability,    a programmer in 1987 during “the        designer. “I’m not fond of the term
and combinatorics and graph theory. This involves         early stages of a hyperactive tech      ‘retirement.’ I like to think I’m
concepts of allocation algorithms and randomized          revolution. Technology has a very       changing careers, since I’d put my
decision, which may sound very highfalutin’, but you      creative side to it that many people    dream of being a full-time artist on
use them all the time in your daily life without know-    never see—I’ve loved that about         hold. I’m realizing my dream.”
ing it—for example, when you’re grocery shopping          it,” he said. Macy was part of the      See more of Macy’s work at
and when you’re making cookies.                           team that shepherded Bowdoin’s          tadmacy.com.

16 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                   PHOTO: ALEX CORNELL DU HOUX ’06                       BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 17
Column

The Start of
Something Better
She longed for a connection with her
grandfather, whose early life was mostly
a mystery to her. A chance encounter on
campus last fall changed that.

MY NAME IS ELAINE BENNETT. I am twenty-four years old and
I live in New York City. I visited Bowdoin for the first time in
October for my work as an admissions program manager at
the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University. I am            Elaine Bennett found
not sure if this type of story is of any interest to you and your     her grandfather in
                                                                      Bowdoin’s archives, and
readers, but I want to share it with you to express my grati-         his community here on
tude for the incredible alumni community that my grand-               campus.
father was a part of. I asked a stranger on campus [Hope
Marden, campus services mail clerk] to take a photo of me
in front of Hubbard Hall and, when I told her my story, she         baseball team, so I figured there had to be a trace of him.
suggested that I email you.                                         Little did I know the archives had a whole file on my grand-
    My grandfather’s name is George S. Bennett, and he              father that they let me look through. There were nearly 100
graduated from Bowdoin in 1934. He grew up in the suburbs           original paper documents in this file. I was able to hold in
of Boston, in a struggling Irish immigrant family. His father       my hands the application my grandfather filled out by hand
died when he was only eight years old, and his mother died          in 1930. There were letters from my great-aunt Josephine
when he was a senior in high school. He was the youngest            to Bowdoin President Sills, explaining the family’s dire
of seven children, and his oldest sister, Josephine, sacrificed     situation and asking the school to provide financial aid to
everything she had to make sure he went to college—the              her brother. There were more handwritten letters between
first person in his family to do so. He was lucky that he had       my grandfather and the dean of the College [Paul Nixon]
the right people advocating for him because, when Bowdo-            discussing job searches, looking for guidance.
in took a chance on that orphan boy, he made a better life              It’s difficult to put into words the emotions that I felt
for himself and his family, and it changed the course of my         when I was holding on to the same pieces of paper my
family’s history. After graduation, he married my grand-            grandfather held nearly ninety years ago. I always longed for
mother and they had four children, including my father.             a connection with him, and I felt such love on the Bowdoin
Three of their children became lawyers (including my uncle          campus. Every single person I encountered was extremely
George Bennett ’65) and my aunt Sally dedicated her life to         helpful and caring. I understand why my grandfather kept
education as a math teacher. I truly believe our family would       in touch with contacts from the school for so many decades
not be where it is today without the support Bowdoin gave to        after he graduated, why he donated every year until he died,
my grandfather all those years ago.                                 why my grandmother continued to donate to Bowdoin until
    Unfortunately, I never met my grandfather. He died in           she passed away, and why they would visit the campus togeth-
1991, and I was not born until 1992. I had heard his inspir-        er as often as they could over the years. This type of commu-              Clockwise from left:
ing story from my father when I was growing up, and I have          nity and connection my grandfather was a part of is not the                A letter from Josephine
always wished I could have met him. For some reason, upon           norm. Bowdoin should be extremely proud of its communi-                    Bennett to President Sills.
arriving on the Bowdoin campus, I decided to pay a visit            ty, and I am eternally grateful for the experience I had while
                                                                                                                                               George Bennett ’34’s
to the archives. I’m not really sure what I was looking for. I      visiting campus for the first time. I will never forget it.                school record and
guess I was hoping to find even a simple news article from              I hope that this note will remind your alumni they are                 photograph.
my grandfather’s time at Bowdoin. I wanted to get a sense           bonded to a very special place—even as an outsider, I can                  Bennett’s hand-written
of his experience during those years. He was captain of the         feel it, too.                                                              Bowdoin application.            BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 19

18 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                      ARCHIVAL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE GEORGE J. MITCHELL DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES
BY KATY KELLEHER
        PHOTOGRAPHS BY TRISTAN SPINSKI                                                            THE
                                                             OUT SIDE

THINKING                                                                                                                           BOX
                                                                   Barrett Takesian ’12 hopes
                                                                   his innovative urban squash
                                                                   program will someday
                                                                   become the most successful
                                                                   pipeline to higher education
                                                                   in the State of Maine.

   20 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                          BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 21
TUCKED AWAY ON NOYES STREET in Portland,                  Public Schools system. Currently, there are about       Takesian was an environmental studies and          Takesian met Butt on the courts, where he            player, first heard about the project, he had two         If they don’t come to Bowdoin, then perhaps
behind a massive glass window with menorah-               fifty students in the building, ranging in age from     economics coordinate major. While many             impressed the legendary player with his enthusi-     competing reactions. First, he thought the idea        they’ll end up at one of the other fourteen uni-
shaped red metal panes, a diverse group of stu-           six to eighteen. They’re here to play squash,           graduates of Maine colleges decide to leave the    asm for the sport. Butt says, “Right away, I could   of bringing urban squash to Maine was “a long          versities that have banners hanging around the
dents gathers on the wooden floor of a squash             take yoga classes, work on their homework, and          state to seek employment, Takesian had spent       see Barrett becoming a coach. It was visible in      shot.” But he also recognized that “if anyone          PCS building. These colorful flags serve both as
court to “shout out” positive things about their          participate in various enrichment programs.             years living in Southwest Harbor as a child, and   how he played, and how he observed what was          was going to pull this off, it would be Barrett.”      a tribute to the donors who made it all possible
fellow athletes. They make an uneven circle,                  “When I was little, I thought you had to wear       he didn’t want to leave the Pine Tree State. “I    going on around him.” The fast-paced game is         Fortson had worked closely with Takesian               (Takesian raised more than $1.5 million in 2016
sitting with legs crossed or bouncing on their            a suit and carry a briefcase to play squash,”           shook hands with one of my closest friends, and    inherently intellectual, Butt says, and involves a   when he was in college—Takesian was a team             to purchase the historic temple, and another
knees—these kids exude pure, infectious ener-             Takesian tells me later as we sit in his office. It’s   we made a deal to stay in Portland,” he says.      high level of strategic planning. On the court,      captain—and had seen Takesian grow as both             $156,000 to provide financial and transportation
gy. In one corner of the court (a wooden and              a bare-bones space, outfitted with a standing              After graduation, he took a job at insurance    Takesian displayed an ability to think on his feet   a player and a coach. He knew the young man            assistance to Portland-area students), as well as
glass box that measures 9.75 meters long and              desk and not much else. It’s clear that his most        company Unum and started volunteering,             and a determination to learn—qualities that          was resilient and resolute. Fortson adds that          a reminder of the program’s ultimate objective.
6.4 meters wide, as per international specifica-          important work doesn’t take place in this little        first with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and later     would serve him well when he went to launch          squash is a sport with “a lot of wealthy benefac-      “From the beginning, our goal was to be the
tions), Barrett Takesian ’12 sits in sneakers, a          room. Takesian, like the kids in this building,         at the YMCA in Portland. Inspired by the joy       Maine’s first urban squash program. “He talked       tors, if you will, especially in the United States.    most successful college pathway program in the
sweatshirt, and black athletic pants. All eyes are        benefited from an urban squash program,                 working with kids brought to his life, he began    to me about his idea early on, and I knew that,      It’s always been a private club and private            state,” Takesian says, which is why he started
upon him, even as the kids, who were bussed in            albeit in a slightly different way. Before attend-      to think seriously about starting a community      as young as he is, it would be a huge challenge      school sport.” He’s happy to see that change,          Rally Portland, an innovative subset of PCS. “We
by the Portland after-school program Learning-            ing Bowdoin, Takesian went to high school at            squash program in Portland. Takesian started       to raise all that money,” says Butt.                 though change is moving slowly. “Now we’re             want to be a model for other programs and show
works, fidget lightly, waiting for their turn to call     Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts. “In            scheduling daily meetings—one at 8 a.m. and           Squash courts are expensive, particularly if      beginning to see more kids who have gone               how working with students over a long-term
out. One boy praises another’s respectfulness.            Boston, there was this great program called             another at 8 p.m.—to speak with the leaders        you’re offering use of them for free. But Take-      through urban programs at Bowdoin,” he says.           time horizon can work,” he says. The hope is
One girl, wearing a bright orange hijab decorat-          SquashBusters that works with low-income stu-           of similar urban squash programs and connect       sian was determined, and he leveraged his posi-      Students with access to the sport tend to skew         that students will come for the squash matches
ed with sequins, runs into the court a little late.       dents in squash and education,” he explains. “I         with potential donors. He calls this period        tion within the New England squash community         toward the extreme ends of the class divide;           but stay for the guided study time. By melding
Her face is one big, happy grin as she looks at           grew up playing against those kids.” He wasn’t          of intensive learning his “unofficial graduate     to contact donors, plan squash tournaments, and      they either come to squash through urban pro-          athletics and academics, Takesian wants to create
Takesian and settles in for their end-of-day ritual.      a part of their program—Milton Academy is a             degree.” “I was working on this project seven      gain support for the cause. “My role was to offer    grams offered for free or reduced rates, or they       a holistic after-school program that molds young
   I’ve been watching the workings of this urban          private school that has squash courts on campus         days a week for three years,” he says.             encouragement, because he had this wonderful         come to squash through their private school            students into conscientious participants in the
ecosystem for an hour, and I can already tell that        and a squash club—but he admired Squash-                   Early in the process, Takesian pulled in        goal,” says Butt. “I could also help introduce him   programs. There isn’t a lot of middle ground.          classroom, sportsmanlike players on the court,
there’s something exceptional happening inside            Busters. He realized back then that urban exer-         members of the Bowdoin squash community,           around to people in the squash world—and I           “The squash community, as a whole, benefits            and respectful individuals overall.
this old temple. This is Portland Community               cise was inherently expensive and not available         including former swimming and soccer coach         did—but really, he did it all himself.”              from it being more diverse,” Fortson says.                Although Portland Community Squash is
Squash (PCS), an after-school urban athletic pro-         to everyone. After graduation, he decided to            (and winner of twenty-two national squash             When Tomas Fortson, head squash coach             “Hopefully Barrett will lead the way, and we’ll        still in its infancy, parents and school officials
gram available to every student in the Portland           address that problem.                                   championships and a world title) Charlie Butt.     at Bowdoin and a former professional squash          be seeing some of his kids come to Bowdoin.”           are already observing a shift in the mindsets

22 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                                                                                                                                                         BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 23
“I THINK WHEN YOU
 DO ACADEMIC WORK IN
 THE SAME SPACE WHERE YOU’RE ALSO
 DOING YOGA AND GETTING IN A HARD                                                                            a harmonious enrichment program. “I visited a
                                                                                                             few weeks ago, and I watched as they went from
                                                                                                                                                                 piece of what they’re doing.” Although PCS
                                                                                                                                                                 is open to everyone, only students who show
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     sat scattered around several small tables and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     responded to writing prompts that asked them
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          here for academics, that’s why,” she says. She
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          likes playing the game, but she knows there is
                                                                                                             station to station—squash, yoga, and then to a      exceptional promise and positivity are selected     about respect, effort, and positivity—the three      a life beyond the squash court, and she wants
 WORKOUT, IT ALL BEGINS TO BLUR                                                                              lesson,” he recalls. “That day, they did a nutri-   to take part in Rally Portland. Katrina Buchta,     core values of PCS. They talked occasionally         to make the most of it. “I want to succeed and
                                                                                                             tion lesson. They had someone there teaching        director of education at PCS, says Rally Portland   with one another and smiled at their papers,         go to college, and to get into some really good
 INTO A SPACE OF PLAY.”                                                                                      the basics of how to make a smoothie, so kids       is a program that requires intense commitment       but for the most part they remained focused          schools. That’s my future, and being here is
                                                                                                             could make themselves a healthy after-school        but offers big payoffs. “We want to take kids       on the task at hand. Mallori, an eleven-year-old     going to help me with that.” She’s a self-
                                                                                                             snack.” He says the kids are kept continually       from sixth grade until college—and continue         from King Middle School, was eager to take a         identified action-learner who loves science and
                                                                                                             moving and learning, and that they’re “learning     working with them even after college,” she says.    break from work and talk to a reporter about         hates sitting down. It can be hard for her to
of participating students. Michael Paterniti              the same space where you’re also doing yoga        more than they realize.”                            “The emphasis of Rally Portland is on working       her experience. She told me that she likes           focus on schoolwork, but she likes to keep busy
says his fifteen-year-old daughter, May, comes            and getting in a hard workout, it all begins to       For Donaldson, a key element of PCS is           with kids who don’t have access to a lot of other   being a part of Portland Community Squash            and values hard work, so she keeps coming
home from PCS “in the best mood” and with                 blur into a space of play,” says Paterniti. “And   how it provides leadership opportunities to         after-school programs. Kids who will commit         because there are “less fights here than there       back to this former temple to play, learn, and
all her homework done. “One of the great                  that’s really exciting.”                           students who may not normally have access to        to playing squash four days a week…. Kids           are at school.” She says, “I like the game a lot.    grow. After finishing a squash match or taking a
things about the program is that, when you                   “In a really short amount of time, Portland     them. He cites the example of a Lyman Moore         who are positive, respectful, and put in a lot      It’s really fun and unique. It’s fun because we      yoga class, she feels ready to sit down and tackle
mix sports and study, they both become                    Community Squash has grown to become a             sixth-grader who “sees PCS as a ticket to get       of effort. Kids who can be leaders.” Right now,     get to see how strong we are, and we can learn       her homework. “When you’re playing, you feel
normalized,” he says. “The integration of                 really coherent program that kids absolutely buy   into college. This is a multilingual student, and   Rally Portland serves nine students, but Buchta     about other people’s interests.” For Mallori,        excited and energetic,” she says. “But after-
physical activity and homework time becomes               into,” says Ben Donaldson, principal of Lyman      I honestly doubt he was thinking about college      says they hope to add a few more in the spring,     a standout element of the program is how it          wards, you’re refreshed. Your mind is free.”
something that is stabilizing and enriching.”             Moore Middle School. While there are many          at the beginning of sixth grade.” But after he      and more again come fall 2018. Students with        fosters a sense of respect among her peers.
He says his daughter’s grades have improved               after-school programs available to his students,   got involved with PCS, something changed.           access to Rally Portland, Donaldson says, “carry    Though admittedly, she didn’t put it that way.       Katy Kelleher is a freelance writer and author of
and that the “communal experience of sharing              Donaldson says they don’t all maintain the kids’   “Now he’s talking about where he wants to go to     themselves differently. It gives them so much       “We just really respect each other’s opinions        the book Handcrafted Maine. A former managing
sport and study time has inspired her to push             attention. “The program that they’re building      school. He’s psyched about it,” Donaldson says.     confidence.”                                        and how we do things,” she says. “We respect         editor of Maine magazine, she has reported for The
herself a little harder.” Paterniti also reports          over there is something more and more kids            “Over the life of the organization, they’ve         During my visit to PCS, I was able to spend      their religions and the things they love. You can    Wall Street Journal and WBUR-Boston.
that when there’s a time crunch and May has               want to be involved with and to access,” he        begun to really engage the full range of kids       some time in the classrooms, where students         make friends here really easily.”
to give up an activity, she always advocates for          explains. “That’s the best metric we currently     from Portland. We’re seeing tons of multi-          were learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and         Auxane, a thirteen-year-old student at Lyman      Tristan Spinski’s photos can be found in Audu-
squash to stay a part of her schedule—even                have for whether it’s an effective program.”       lingual kids from our school that have really       chatting quietly about their days. The mood in      Moore Middle School, was entirely focused on         bon, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, The New York
though squash and homework go hand-in-                       Like Paterniti, Donaldson admires how PCS       latched onto Portland Community Squash,”            the classroom was calm, but not without energy.     her writing—until I interrupted to ask about         Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other
hand. “I think when you do academic work in               melds physical activity and academic work into     Donaldson says. “I think that’s an incredible       As the sun set outside, a group of seven students   her experience with the program. “I come             publications. He lives in Portland, Maine.

24 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                                                                                                                                                                                                  BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 25
ASK
                                                        You can find out just about
                                                    anything with a few keystrokes or
                                                    a voice command. Got a question?
                                                       Ask Alexa. Or Siri. Or Cortana.
                                                     Google’s “year in search” for 2017

US
                                                    showed that, more than anything,
                                                     people used the search engine to
                                                     ask “how.” There’s a lot we want
                                                     to know, learn, and understand.
                                                      As easy as technology makes it,
                                                      there’s something special about
                                                     hearing from a person—someone
          ALVIN HALL, COURTNEY REICHERT,              we know who knows. As it turns
   BENJE DOUGLAS, MICHAEL OXTON, MIKE O’MARA,
NATHANIEL T. WHEELWRIGHT, JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON,       out, the Bowdoin community is
ROB BURNS, JOE TECCE, SARAH HORN, KATE ADAMS, AND
   REBECCA KNAPP ADAMS SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE             filled with people like that.
                                                            TURN THE PAGE TO ANSWER YOUR HOW TO ...
Rob Burns ’07 and
                                                                                                                                                                               Michael Oxton ’07

                                                                                                                                                                               (HOME)BREW
                                                                                                                                                                               WORLD-CLASS BEER
                                                                                                                                                                               1
                                                                                                                                                                                    BREW WITH GOOD PEOPLE. You’ll have more
                                                                                                                                                                                    fun, you’ll end up making better beer, and
                                                                                                                                                                                    you’re less likely to clean the mash tun alone.

                                                                                                                                                                               2
                                                                                                                                                                                      SELF-EDUCATE. It’s really difficult to get
                                                                                                                                                                                      creative if you don’t understand the
                                                                                                                                                                                      basics. Learn everything you can.

                                                                                                                                                                               3
                                                                                                                                                                                      CREATE INTERESTING RECIPES. Do it better.
                                                                                                                                                                                      Do it differently. We wanted to introduce
                                                                                                                                                                                      a softer, more citrusy, pale ale to the mar-
                                                                                                                                                                               ket, and we came up with Whirlpool. You don’t
                                                                                                                                                                               have to brew something totally weird to make it
                                                                                                                                                                               unique—though weird is fun, too.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Courtney Reichert ’06

                                                                                                                                                                               4                                                      HELP YOUR RELUCTANT
Alvin Hall ’74                                                                                                                                                                        INVEST IN GOOD EQUIPMENT. Your beer

TELL A GOOD STORY
                                                                                                                                                                                      will be easier to make, the quality of
                                                                                                                                                                                      your product will be higher, and you’ll
                                                                                                                                                                               end up saving money.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      MATH STUDENT
                                                                                                                                                                               5
                                                                                                                                                                                      CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN. Dirty space means
FIRST, DOES THE STORY HAVE A HUMAN ARC?                   Typically, the answer to the central question is      Fourth, and by far most difficult, is finding                         dirty beer. Don’t mess this one up.             PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF MATH.               child to memorize the basic addition,
Readers, listeners, and viewers are almost                anticipated by a sequence of smaller questions.       your distinct voice—the voice in which the                                                                            At some point during your schooling, you      subtraction, multiplication, and division
unconsciously open to stories that embody a               A good story anticipates the moments when             story must be told to be effective. For nearly                                                                        may have muttered under your breath,          facts is one of the easiest and best ways to

                                                                                                                                                                               6
journey into some aspect of humanity. The                 the smaller questions are likely to emerge in         all storytelling, I find that my voice is clearest                   MAINTAIN SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES. This             “Why do we need to learn this?” I get it!     ensure your child learns quantitative
story doesn’t have to be about actual people.             the audience’s mind. That’s satisfying for the        and most assured in the morning. Sometimes                           sounds boring, but it’s crucial. Track and       But try to emphasize that even if your        skills early in their education. Numeracy is
It can be about polar bears in the Arctic, about          audience, but it also keeps people engaged with       I wake up with the right voice and words just                        record everything. Make your steps easily        student doesn’t plan to factor trinomials     crucial for estimation and makes the more
a changing landscape, about the change in                 and interested in what’s ahead.                       waiting to be written down or recorded. These                  repeatable and understandable.                         every day, math problem solving is a great    abstract algebra so much easier later on.
industry. What gets people interested is that the            Third, the heart of the story—be it a              are miraculous days. Some stories by their                                                                            way to exercise our brains and improve

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story relates to how human beings are created,            person, object, or idea—must be intriguing,           nature require that I be totally suffused with                        MAKE IT PRETTY. People will drink more          logic. We definitely use these every day.     STAY POSITIVE. Whether your children
grow, change, or leave this earth, along with the         multifaceted, and on a path likely to involve         it to do it justice. The voice is still mine, and                     of what’s inside your package if it looks                                                     are math marvels or numeracy novices,
challenges, tension, or conflicts encountered             evolution or change, whether unexpected or            I can hear myself in the words, but the right                         good on the outside. Giving your beer a         DON’T LET THEM SENSE YOUR FEAR. If            chances are they’re going to get frus-
along the arc. The story doesn’t have to be a             logical in hindsight. Getting this right involves     words come to me through the subject itself.                   visual personality legitimately improves the over-     you don’t love math like I do or have         trated with their math homework some-
full arc from birth to death—it can simply be             a deep understanding of what’s germane to the         To find the right voice, you need patience.                    all experience of drinking and appreciating it.        ever said, “I’m not good at math,” help       where along the way. The satisfaction of
a section of it—but the audience must sense               character’s personality, the physical location,       To paraphrase an old spiritual from my child-                                                                          yourself and your kids overcome this by      finally “getting it,” however, promises to

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something human in it.                                    the history of the object, or the created world.      hood, “It may not come when you want it,                               START WITH PASSION—AND FEED IT. If your          seeing math as a worthy challenge, not      be rewarding. They’ll survive math class,
   Second, the central question must be one for           Equally important is determining how these            but it’s right on time.”                                               enthusiasm starts to slip, rethink your          a monster. In my experience, students       and if they have the right mindset, they
which the reader, listener, or viewer—whether             innate characteristics will react to unexpected                                                                              approach, turn left, reverse, do whatever         who struggle with math lack confi-         just might enjoy it too.
they know it or not—wants to find an answer.              outside forces—whether real or created. The           Alvin Hall ’74 is an internationally renowned                  it takes to get it back.                                  dence most of all.
This is true whether you are writing books                structure and sequencing of the story should          financial educator, television and radio broadcaster,                                                                                                               Courtney Reichert ’06 is an NBCT-
about historical events or figures, about climate         gradually reveal these innards and keep the           bestselling author, and regular contributor to                 Rob Burns ’07, Michael Oxton ’07, and Mike                 DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF          certified math teacher at Mt. Ararat High
change, about music, about how to invest.                 audience involved.                                    magazines, newspapers, and websites.                           O’Mara founded Night Shift Brewing in 2012.                 DRILL AND GRILL. Encouraging your        School in Topsham, Maine.

28 BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU                                            PHOTO: DAMANI MOYD, ILLUSTRATION (BEETLE): BERND HEINRICH (PREVIOUS PAGE)   ILLUSTRATION: HANNA BARCZYK                                                                  BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 29
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Sarah Horn ’07

               TIPS FOR EVERY
               PET OWNER
1      Just because they can eat it doesn’t mean
       they should. Many common household
       items can cause potentially life-threatening
       illness if ingested by pets. Grapes, choco-
late, avocado, onions, garlic, and sugar-
free gum (sweetened with xylitol) are all
                                                      standing still and staring with wide “whale eyes,”
                                                      and having raised hackles. Some owners tie a
                                                      yellow ribbon on the leash if their dog does not
                                                      do well when approached by other dogs. If you
                                                      notice this, avoid interactions between your dog
                                                      and theirs.

                                                      4
toxic when ingested by certain pets. For a more
comprehensive list of common household tox-                        Prevention is the best medicine.
ins and what species they affect, or if you’re con-                Annual physical exams are extreme-
cerned about something your pet has eaten, visit                   ly important, even if your pet isn’t
the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control website.                         due for any lab work or vaccines.

2
                                                      While your pet may seem happy and healthy to
           Dr. Google did not earn a medical          you, a thorough examination allows a trained
           degree. While we’ve all sought advice      professional to look for any abnormalities that       Kate Adams ’89
           from the Internet in the throes of pa-     may not be apparent. If certain conditions are
           nic, it can often incite more fear than
reassurance. If you’re concerned about your pet,
                                                      detected and managed early, such as heart
                                                      disease, it can prolong your pet’s life.              ASSIST AGING PARENTS
                                                      5
reach out to a veterinary professional. Contact
your veterinarian’s office during normal busi-                   Consider protecting more than your         FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS NOT EASY. Collaboration, stubbornness, compro-            n Long-term care insurance. Some policies cover home care, some do
ness hours and your local emergency veterinary                   pet’s core. Core vaccines like those       mise, and love will all come into play. My strongest advice is to be              not. Some only cover nursing facilities. Some will pay family caregivers.
hospital on nights, weekends, and holidays. It                   for rabies, canine parvovirus, and         proactive—there are many more choices that way. Getting help in the               Some have different daily limits for home care versus facility care.
will save you time and prevent you from the                      feline panleukopenia target illnesses      home, modifying a home, finding alternative transportation—initial                Most have a maximum daily amount and a maximum lifetime amount.
stress of the unknown before you find yourself        that have a high morbidity and mortality rate,        safeguards are much easier than dealing with a fall down the stairs or a        n If staying home is strongly desired, talk about a long-term plan. Living

burrowed deep in an Internet rabbit hole.             are widespread, and are easily prevented with         car accident. Start conversations early, keep a sense of humor, and make          on one level? Yard maintenance? Trips to medical appointments? Ease

3
                                                      vaccination. Some non-core vaccines, however,         it clear that independence is important, but so is safety.                        of active lifestyle? (All research points to exercise as the best medicine
          Stranger danger can be real. Always         are just as important, depending on where you                                                                                           for physical and cognitive health.)
          ask before allowing your dog to             live and your pet’s lifestyle. Vaccinations against   THINGS TO DO AND TALK ABOUT:                                                    n Consider hiring an aging life care expert for an assessment. A profes-

          approach another dog. Even though           Lyme disease, leptospirosis, and feline leuke-        n Power of attorney, health care proxy, and advanced directives (available        sional will look at the big picture: medical, social, financial, home safety,
          your canine may be dog-friendly, there      mia should be strongly considered for pets at           on most state websites). I also recommend the “Five Wishes” docu-               wellness, family dynamics, and formal and informal care providers.
are plenty of others that aren’t. Unfortunately,      risk in areas where these diseases are endemic.         ment—a legal document that combines a living will and a health care           n If independent or assisted living is part of the discussion, research,

we see this in practice all the time. Some dogs       Vaccinating your dog for leptospirosis is also a        proxy. I think it’s best to use an elder law attorney, even for a few meet-     make visits, and get on waiting lists. Senior housing is in short supply.
can be more reactive on a leash as well, so a         way of protecting your family from this zoonotic        ings, for documents and planning, because of their greater expertise in         An aging life care expert can steer you in the right direction with that,
leashed dog approached by another dog may             disease, as an infected dog can transmit this           legal services for aging issues.                                                too—they often know the pros and cons of most facilities in their region.
react defensively. Besides the obvious snarling,      disease to people.                                    n Financial planning. Eight out of ten people will need long-term care.         n Use these online resources: naela.org, aginglifecare.org, and the Area

growling, and lunging, more-subtle signs may                                                                  The average cost of home care is $32 an hour. Average monthly costs             Agency on Aging for your county.
indicate that a dog should not be approached—         Sarah Horn ’07 is a veterinarian at Androscoggin        are high—assisted living: $5,400; memory care: $6,800; nursing
holding its ears back and flat against its head,      Animal Hospital in Topsham, Maine.                      home: $11,200.                                                                Kate Adams ’89 is owner of Aging Excellence.

                                                                                                            ILLUSTRATION: HANNA BARCZYK                                                                               BOWDOIN MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 31
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