350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478
Volu m e 6 6 , Issu e 1
Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Permit #58555 Boston, MA PAID
May 4 , 2 0 1 7
A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School
WEBB REVISITS HILL
Mr. Roger Webb Returns to the Hamilton Chapel He Brought to Belmont Hill in 1963
Photo (left) by Johhn Gillooly and (right) from Harvard Business School
is rivaled by none. Speaking on the stage of truck to Belmont, and reassembled the once- Chapel’s original wooden podium, a gallery the Hamilton Chapel, Webb returned to the Methodist church in its present location. The of photos from its 1963 disassembly and respace that has come to embody his silent, but School continues to both symbolically and construction on Belmont Hill, the structure’s significant legacy on Belmont Hill. In 1963, physically revolve around the Hamilton Cha- weathervane, and a bird’s-eye view of the it was Roger Webb who identified a wooden pel, roughly equidistant from the Melvoin JV soccer field, the attic, unknown to most The Spark: Mr. Webb’s Chapel Talk On a wet Tuesday afternoon in chapel in West Thompson, Connecticut that Academic Center and Jordan Athletic Center. of the student population, was surprisingly Webb’s detailed retelling of the well-kept. In the attic, Mr. Webb continearly April, Mr. Roger Webb spoke to an in- was nearing its destruction; the United States timate group of interested community mem- Army Corp of Engineers had purchased an Chapel’s reconstruction was followed by ued treating students to tales and narratives bers on the reconstruction of Belmont Hill’s abundance of property in the region and was an exciting trip to the attic of the Hamilton from his work on the project, pointing out iconic Hamilton Chapel. Into his 80s but preparing to demolish structures for the con- Chapel. Mrs. Hamilton, a faculty member pictures that depicted the community gathstill thoughtful, sharp, and vibrant, Webb struction of a dam. Contacted by Headmaster for over twenty years, as well as all the boys ering around the Chapel as its two front provided the attending cohort of middle Fred Hamilton, Webb, a general contractor present to meet with Mr. Webb, was making columns were placed (an event that seemed schoolers, upper schoolers, faculty mem- with experience relocating historic structures her first trip to the attic. A small door nested to mimic the community’s groundbreaking bers, and alumni with an anecdotal recol- in the Boston area, led a team of five car- behind third form seating in the back of the ceremony when construction on the Melvoin lection of the Hamilton Chapel’s assembly. penters that disassembled the chapel’s parts building reveals a thin, steep set of wooden Academic Center began in November 2013). continued on Page 8 Mr. Webb’s knowledge of the Chapel in West Thompson, transported them by steps that lead to a long attic. Home to the By Ishaan Prasad ‘18 and William McCormack ‘18 Panel Staff
Belmont Hill Track & Field Starts 2017 Campaign Hot A Year in America
blue dominated their competitors By Filip Puljiz ‘18 in nearly every event. Noticeable Staff Writer performances include Evan Ricci ‘17 in the 110-meter hurdles and One day in my beautiful CroaIsaiah Collins ‘18 in the 100-meter tian city of Split, my grandma asked me: dash. By no means satisfied with “Would you like to go to America like its initial success, the team con- Laura?” Laura had spent a year abroad tinued to work diligently toward in Ohio and loved the experience. I mestheir next meet, at home against saged Laura and she spoke very highly of Governor’s Academy, Groton, her time in the US and gave me all the inand Middlesex. When the day of formation on how to apply. After a grueling contest came, Belmont Hill again application process full of interviews and emerged on top, an auspicious essays in English, I learned I had been acsign for a possibly remarkable sea- cepted, and would be attending Belmont son. Although the season has just Hill School, in Belmont, Massachusetts. Afbegun, Belmont Hill has its sights ter googling the school to find out where I set on two championship titles. If would be living for the next year, I was exall bodes well, the team will add cited and a little nervous for what lay ahead. continued on Page 2 two trophies to the mantelpiece. ☐
By Matt Smith ‘19 Panel Staff After both a second-place finish at ISTAs and an epic victory at Division II NEPSTAs during the 2016 season, the Belmont Hill track team kicked off its 2017 season poised for success. Soon after the end of the 2016-2017 winter sports season, the squad began to prepare for competition through weeks of grueling practice in frigid weather. After a short break to enjoy the first week of March break, the athletes reconvened at Harvard’s indoor track. With only a short time before competition began, the Belmont Hill team worked as hard as ever. At their first meet, the Thayer Relays, their hard work payed off conspicuously, as the boys in
Look Inside The Panel News 6-7 Navy SEAL Skypes with BH
Lt. Commander Dave speaks with students in Dr. Buckley’s Institute of Policy and Poltics Course
McCormack ‘18 Elected President Carter ‘18, I. Prasad ‘18, and Morris ‘18 round out Form VI Senate team. Rockett ‘19, McHugh ‘20, Walker ‘21, and Bittner ‘22 win other presidenctial elections.
Sports 10-11 Jayson Firmin ‘21 Advances in Jr. NBA National Skills Challenge
Arts 4-5 Artists of the Issue: Kingston ‘17 and Folsom ‘17
How Sixth Formers Chris Kingston and Jonny Folsom have used Instagram to showcase their photography
Win at TD Garden leads to Regional finals in Brooklyn
Opinions 2-3 A Closer Look at the Language Requirement Examining requirements for incoming Form III students
Jazz Band Plays at Ryles Jazz Club An evening of good food and even better music in Cambridge, MA.