1
The
Brewster Browser
October 14, 2023 Wolfeboro, NH
Volume 46 Issue 1
How Businesses Influence Teenage Life in Wolfeboro by Mila Bahr '27
town is boring,” said local, and Brewster parent, Alicia Elliott. “I would like to see more year-round teenager-friendly activities. Like an arcade, indoor movie nights, and a small bowling alley. Stuff to keep the local teenagers engaged. I would like to see fewer restaurants and ice cream shops, we need more variation.” Places like “O Bistro” or “Marker 21” that are too high end, or “Localtopia” that is only open between 11 am-3 pm, hours when students are in school and adults are working, even the more popular places like “Hucks Hoagies” and “Downtown Grill Cafe” that prices are increasing slowly year after year. The town is slowly pushing out affordable restaurants and welcoming new expensive restaurants. The town gets difficult. As a teenager, I can't afford half the merchandise Wolfeboro sells. Not even food” said a day student and resident of Wolfeboro. “Especially if you are not old enough to have a job or even if you have a minimum wage job, Wolfeboro is so expensive. I wish there was more youth-friendly business.” Wolfeboro doesn't exactly cater to young people. Or even promote activities for young people. cont on pg. 6
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WOLFEBORO, N.H. - The perfect lakside getaway can be found right here in New England, one magazine says. Travel + Leisure recently published its 2023 list of America's Best Small Towns, and the runner-up for Best Small Lake Town went to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Its proximity to Lake Winnipesaukee is unmatched, as is its scenic beauty and its small-town New England character. Wolfeboro is an everlasting place of summer. One can lounge away all day in the sun enjoying the relaxation. Wolfeboro is a boat place. But what happens when you don't have a boat? Exactly. Nothing. Sure Wolfeboro is “so great” to the seasonal tourist, but what about the locals? Especially the teenagers. You need a lake pass to swim, all the affordable restaurants close before 5, and when they are open, they're absolutely packed. All the attractions are across the lake or at least 30 minutes away, but that doesn’t matter if you don't have your license. What could Wolfeboro do to excite more teenagers? “As a local, I love where I live, I love raising my child here, but I think the
Fall Family Weekend Schedule Friday, October 13
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fall Family Weekend Registration Rogers Building 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Lunch -Estabrook Dining Hall 12-2:30 p.m. College Counseling Conferences (for parents of juniors, seniors, and PGs) Academic Building 12:30-5 p.m. Parent-Teacher Conferences Academic Building 2-2:45 p.m. Head of School Address with Kristy Kerin Faith Theater in the Rogers Building
The boys of Estabrook Dorm visit the local mini-golf course for a round of golf, bonding and fun. The mini-golf spot is one of the few recreational businesses offered in Wolfeboro. Photo by Mila Bahr ’27
3-4:15 p.m. College Counseling Seminar and Maia Learning Tutorial (for parents of juniors) Cooper Center (Lower level of the Academic Building)
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by James Hatzos ’26
Editorial/Opinion
October 14, 2023
How the New Rec System Affects Students
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“We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it” - George Orwell, 1984 Brewster Academy is swinging right back into its regular state this Fall trimester after a long summer break. New students are settling into their dorms, and returning students are embracing the ability to be reunited with their distant friends. But in this rush of the new year, lost in the special schedules, are some of the changes that have been made to some of the core aspects of Brewster. Most notably, the Brewster Recognition System. In recent years, scholars and athletes at Brewster Academy have been graded, or judged, as some may prefer, on ten distinct categories on a scale from zero to four. In previous years, a student receiving a 34 would receive JBS so long as they were in the lower school. Upper school students were expected to have a recognition score of 36 to achieve JBS, short for John Brewster Scholar. Among other mundane privileges for JBS students sat a different allowance, and that one was the holy grail. The privilege of unlimited nights out shined above all else, except, of course, Sunday. According to Academic Dean Mr. Matt Butcher, the reason we can’t take Sunday nights out is because of “dorm meetings”. In reality, this doesn’t address why a night can’t be taken out after dorm meetings at all.
Like a season shifting, the beginning of the year has brought changes regarding how students receive status and what privileges the status holds. Last year, students knew exactly what was to be done to achieve their desired status, and contrary to some arguments, it is not an abuse of the system for a student to do perfectly what the school wishes and get JBS, such as a student who only ensures they excel in certain categories. That system is merely what was laid out to them, and those who wished for status should not be scolded for their efforts if they were in this manner. Continuing, this idea that some status marks were set in stone is important for understanding the new changes and the comparison of the system. The definition of “Objective” can be shortened to “not influenced by personal feelings or opinions…” and “Subjective” can be defined in shorthand as roughly the opposite of “Objective.” Last year, due to the fact that some of the ten categories for recognition, in number at least four, were categories you could always achieve a perfect score in, provided you met certain criteria, makes last year’s system, while not perfect and objective, at least objective enough to where students can have achievable SMART goals. For example, a student can know that if they are NEVER late to class and that they actively encourage students to go to class on time, that
BA Library Sponsors 9/11 Speaker
On September 11, Mrs. Alison Crowther, left, with Liam Taylor ’24, visited campus to deliver a speech about her son, Welles Crowther, who was lost in the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001. See more story on page 4. Photo by Ms. Jen Dumont
they WILL have a 4 in the category “on-time.” The system implemented this year takes Brewster’s core values of Respect, Responsibility, Independence, and Interdependence, substitutes them for the previous ten categories, and replaces the 0-4 system used for grading these recognition scores into words to describe the level of completion for each of these categories. These words are Exemplary, Consistent, Inconsistent, and Insufficient according to the new system’s documentation. Firstly, this change now allows for more subjectivity in regards to the new system, and the expectations for each category aren’t as clear cut and easy to understand as the old recognition system. Why is it that students should be left guessing regarding their scores when previously they could be sure of their score provided certain criteria? Who does this system help? Does it potentially allow for fewer students to receive JBS rather than the claim that it will help more students receive JBS? That would greatly benefit the school; after all, it’s easier to monitor the students when the school knows exactly where they are. Our new system also has other shortcomings in terms of restrictions placed on us. Aside from the fact that JBS will likely be harder to receive, the privileges for students receiving JBS are also now more limited than last year. John Brewster Scholar students had 7.5 hours of night-out time in the old system, whereas in the new system, they have 6 hours of full night-out time and 1 hour of restricted time in the Rogers on Sundays. As mentioned previously, Sundays were omitted from the list of days students could take out for unjustified reasons. This change is because dorm meeting night, which was previously Sunday, has been moved to Tuesday, meaning we are no longer permitted to take a night out on Tuesdays for this reason. There has been no mention as to why we may not take a night out after the end of our roughly 45 minute dorm meeting as stated before. Could you hypothesize a reason? To begin the deconstruction of these new parts, I will begin with the fact that we are limited to an hour on Sundays, and that said hour can only be to the Rogers building. Why is there a limit on this time? So we can go back for 30 minutes in our dorm and have a study hall? Students who were timely about their work did not benefit from the no-nightsout Sundays. JBS students are students who are timely about their work. There is no need for this limit. Next, why are we limited to the Rogers building? Such a mundane building, in comparison to the outside world, has such limits and constraints on what activities there are to do. One,
for example, cannot take a walk to the docks. At least one person in the masses reading this will respond with the following: The Rogers is the new JBS lounge, or at least trying to mimic it in some capacity, according to Mr. Butcher. This is not a valid argument. Justifying limitations on students’ movements by the claims that it is trying to revive a tradition is the logical fallacy of appeal to tradition. This is also invalid for other reasons. If the building were for JBS students only, it would be a JBS lounge. However, the Rogers is only a student center for JBS on a night that only JBS can take out. At any other time, the Rogers building is not the JBS lounge. So I ask you, reader, and in this case, student, to think about the potential effects this system has on the current state of, and future of, Brewster student life. What will happen to the lower recognition statuses if harsher limits are placed on JBS students who consistently uphold Brewster Community core values? It is easier to justify the removal of privileges of others if you have already removed privileges from people without receiving negative feedback. Citizenship privileges could be next on the chopping block for removal. You must maintain the privileges for all so that they may not limit you later, at least not without greater difficulty. Any reader has the capability to heed this message, and I implore you to spread it if you think it is a good one.
The Brewster Browser Brewster Academy Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Editor in Chief: Liam Fahey ’24 Managing Editor: Zoe Hausler ’24 News & Features Editor: Audrey Burke ’24 Nameplate art: Shemar Joseph ’19 Staff members: Mila Bahr ’27 Ana FitzGerald ’24 James Hatzos ’26 David Mason ’26 John Northrop ’24 Eliza Towle ’24 Grace Watson ’26 Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Metcalfe Dumont From the Editors: The Browser is a student publication, written, edited and proofread by the students under the direction of the faculty advisor. The authors and editors take full responsibility for any errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar that may occur. THE BROWSER IS UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY THE JON KONHEIM JOURNALISM AWARD.
3 October 14, 2023
News
Natural Disasters Affect North Africa
by Ana FitzGerald ’24
September has been a rough month for North Africa. There have been two major natural disasters that caused many injuries and deaths. One is the Morocco earthquake, and the other is the Libya floods. On September 10 at 3:00 in the morning, Libya faced a catastrophic flooding event. It started from a storm that began near Greece named Cyclone Daniel. It brought heavy downpours on Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria, but it changed when it hit Libya. It got much more robust over the night, and it caused two huge dams that had cracks and structural damage to collapse, releasing a 23-foot wave. This led to more than 5,000 people dying and over 10,000 missing. While this couldn’t have been entirely prevented, steps could have been taken to make the situation less fatal. There was not enough communication, and warnings were not spread out well, which caused many people to stay and later suffer.
A map of Morocco showing where the earthquake took place. It shows the Epicentre and the land around it and how severe the quake affected the area.
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There are at least 4,300 survivors, and hopefully more to come. On September 8th at night, people in Morocco experienced a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. Morocco was considered quite a strong earthquake because the magnitude scale goes from one to ten. Cultural sites were ruined, and over 2,800 people died, with 2,500 injured. There was no way to prevent it, but experts believe that the African plate moved north and collided with the Eurasian plate, which caused the quake. There was an aftershock, but it did not do nearly as much damage. People believe there could have been fewer deaths in the future if they worked on advancing the infrastructure of their buildings. Morocco and Libya have faced severe natural disasters and are trying to clean up all the damage it has caused. Red Cross is now open to receiving money that will go to Morocco and Libya to help the survivors with shelter, food, water, and other necessities.
by Audrey Burke ’24
The SAG-AFTRA union includes 160,000 people involved in entertainment including actors, recording artists, radio personalities, and others who play an influential role in the media. The strike, which took place from July 14, 2023 to September 26, 2023, occurred due to the inability to create an arrangement between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). AMPTP represents industries such as Paramount, Sony, Netflix, Walt Disney, and Warner Brothers. The SAG-AFTRA president spoke out in regard to the recent demands made by union members, “We stand in solidarity in unprecedented unity. Our union and our sister unions and the unions around the world are standing by us, as well as other labor unions. Because at some point, the jig is up,” said Fran Drescher You cannot keep being dwindled and marginalized, disrespected and dishonored. The entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, AI. This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth. If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble. We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business who cares more about Wall Street than you and your family.” Some specific issues are rooted in the lack of compensation actors get for their initial performance being
reused, replayed, or re-broadcast, which is called “residuals”. Residuals are calculated a lot differently compared to regular productions of TV and movies. Members of the AMPTP share that they were disappointed that some type of middle ground was unable to be found between the two. They shared that the protests are “the Union’s choice, not ours”. Due to the strike, all production of TV shows and movies in the United States was interrupted, some were completely put on hold, as well as interviews with the press and red carpet premieres. To understand exactly what’s going on led by the group known as SAGAFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), it is helpful to first obtain a deeper understanding of labor unions and how they operate. Labor unions are defined as a group of workers who unite to make decisions regarding their conditions while at work. Labor unions only seek to bring economic justice to the workplace and make sure people’s voices are being heard. The collective group tackles issues such as health benefits, hours spent on the job, vacation, sick leave, and other conditions in relation to the circumstances of their employment. The unions operate in a democratic manner, as they hold elections to appoint officers of the union to give them more power and to represent the group as a whole. A big question remains and that’s
Actors and writers march and protest in Los Angeles during the SAG-AFTRA union workes strike.
how celebrities and public figures are reacting to the recent breaking news. There are over 400 actors and actresses associated with SAG some including names such as Meryl Streep, Jennifer Anniston, Eva Longoria, and Mark Ruffalo. Some have even taken steps to try to raise money for the production crew and their families by auctioning off themselves to participate in random daily activities. Adam Scott encourages his followers on Instagram to consider bidding for a chance for him to walk your dog. Other celebrities have participated.
On September 26th, contract negotiations were made between SAGAFTRA and Hollywood Studios and people couldn’t be more relieved. The union members are anticipating a deal offered that’s just as generous as the deal that Hollywood Studios gave to the writers’ union just a week prior. The union’s membership will take a vote on October 2nd. Although the full and explicit terms haven’t been released, it seems as though the union was successful in their efforts and their demands will be highly considered during the negotiation process.
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Hollywood Back After Pause, Impact on Entertainment Industry
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Sports
October 14, 2023
Camps To Collegiate: The World of High School Recruiting
by David Mason ’26
With over 170 athletes being sent to Division 1 schools since 2001, Brewster Prep Basketball has been unbelievably successful in developing some of the top basketball talents that get recruited to the highest level of collegiate athletics. Any prep school that has a type of highlevel athletic team will be recruiting some of its incoming players. Although there are no specific athletic scholarships allowed according to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), for any sport, there are many ways a player can be recruited into a high school program. Camps and showcases are ways athletes and coaches connect to get a player on their roster. Athletes are still allowed to get scholarships based on merit scholarships, grants, payment plans, or third-party organizations. The NAIS does not list athletic scholarships as something that can qualify as a merit scholarship, but it also does not explicitly say it is not allowed. Many recruits are not coming in from middle school as a lot of recruiting happens from high school to high school over a prospect’s four years of high school and some even take a postgraduate year. The post-graduate year is a common time when athletes may
switch schools for the main purpose of getting recruited to the collegiate level. In a player’s post-graduate year, they will have a year to develop their athletic talent and focus on being the best athlete they can be. Players will transfer many times in the hope of getting a better spot, better coaches, or a school with a better spotlight. This is where prep schools come into play. Prep schools are in the spotlight of D1 schools and are often a breeding ground for some of the best athletes in the country. Many players while transferring from school to school will try and capture the national spotlight from ranking. The rankings are provided by many different organizations like ESPN, 274 Sports, and Max Preps. These rankings provide information on players from all over the country, including their rank, position, height, year, and the school they are currently attending. Individual schools will hold their own camps in hopes of recruiting new players. These camps evaluate where a prospective player is as an athlete, teammate, and competitor. Some of the camps in the summer have the athlete board at the facility much like a school and solely focus on their sport for however long the camp lasts. High school recruiting is about
Colin Dean ’26 and Mrs. Alison Crowther meet in the Kenison Library. Dean holds the book The Red Bandanna. Photo by Ms. Jen Dumont
Travis Gillen '26 with the puck during a game against Hebron on January 13, 2023 Photos by Gunner Found '16
getting players to to next level and about winning at the highest level. For players, recruiting presents the opportunity to play at a high level while getting attention from colleges. For the school, the players come and win. They win at the higher levels and the national spotlight is then put on them as a school that produces top talent. This starts the cycle of a winning team
getting the spotlight, then players go to that team for said spotlight, and this creates high school sports dynasties. If a school keeps getting the best players because they keep winning then that cycle will continue until that school stops getting the spotlight whether they were winning or not. Then the players will start going to the next big
by Ms. Jen Dumont
Jefferson sought to honor Welles’s legacy through establishing the Welles Crowther Trust, to honor his memory and to spread his message of service and dedication. The mission of the Welles Remy Crowther Trust is to recognize and award academic and athletic excellence in young men and women who serve their communities through education, health, recreation and character development. The Trust also supports other non-profit organizations that benefit young people through annual gifts and special awards. Boston College honors Welles’s memory each year with an annual 5K run in the fall that benefits the trust, as well as dedicated football and lacrosse games during those seasons. Brewster Academy has registered a team that will participate in the 5K this year on October 21st, as virtual participants. The team will walk and run here in Wolfeboro. For the past 20 years, Mrs. Crowther has traveled throughout the world to speak to young people about the necessity of empathy, service and interdependence. At Brewster Academy, we strive to embrace our core values of respect, responsibility, independence, and interdependence, and we aspire to live lives of purpose. Welles lived and acted according to these values.
9/11 Speaker Visits Campus The Kenison Library and Brewster Academy sponsored Mrs. Alison Crowther as the speaker for a Sept. 11th memorial All School assembly. Mrs. Crowther is the mother of Welles Crowther, a young man who lost his life in the Twin Towers on Sept. 11th. Welles attended Boston College, where he played lacrosse. He graduated in 1999. Since childhood, Welles was interested in firefighting, as his father had served as a volunteer firefighter. This passion drove him to train for firefighting, and he told his father early in 2001 that he was contemplating leaving his job at a finance firm to train as a professional fire fighter in New York City. He was still at work in the finance industry on September 11, 2001, however. Though Welles was lost along with so many others, he was instrumental in saving the lives of many people before the towers collapsed. He lost his life in service to others and there are many alive today because of his bravery. The book The Red Bandanna, written by journalist Tom Rinaldi, a reporter who has worked for the Boston Globe and currently reports for the NFL, compellingly tells the story of Welles and of that tragic day. Mrs. Crowley and her late husband
cont on pg. 7
5
Features
October 14, 2023
page 5
Brewster Crossword!
Across 4. Core value that means depending on yourself. 6. Library and Dorm. 7. Fourth drink from the left in Esta. 12. Core value that means depending on others.
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1. Ice cream or freshman. 2. Core value the opposite of irresponsible. 3. Head of School. 5. Where everyone eats. 8. What Esta serves on Fridays. 9. How many seals? 10. Core value that also means esteem for others. 11. Upper school girl's dorm.
Fall Family Weekend Schedule cont from pg. 1
4:15-5 p.m. Athletic Recruiting for College Overview Cooper Center (Academic Building) 5:30-6:30 p.m. Student Art Exhibition Opening Lower Level in the Rogers Building 7:30-9:30 p.m. Parent Reception and Live Auction (in support of student scholarships) The Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall ATHLETICS 9:30-11 a.m. Athletic practices for Interscholastic Teams 4:30 p.m. Boys’ JV Soccer vs. Berwick Fry Field 4:30 p.m. Girls’ JV Soccer vs. Gould Brown Field
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fall Family Weekend Registration Rogers Building 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Class Rings Table Display - Rogers Building 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Student Art Exhibit Lower Level in the Rogers Building 9 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Parent-Teacher Conferences Academic Building 9 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. College Counseling Conferences (for parents of juniors, seniors, and PGs) Academic Building 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Tailgate and Lunch Brown Field and Estabrook Dining Hall 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Lunch Estabrook Dining Hall 1-2 p.m. The Brewster Global Experience with Laura Cooper Cooper Center (Lower Level of the Academic Building)
cont on pg. 8
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Features
October 14, 2023
Barbie Movie Director Greta Gerwig Impacts Young Audiences by Eliza Towle '24
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After what felt like 10 years, the Barbie movie was finally showcased on July 21, 2023. It was a race against the masses for weeks on end even to get just one ticket. The rest of the summer was filled with the color pink and at one point it truly seemed as if Barbie ran the world and maybe to some extent it did. Barbie alone was estimated to bring in anywhere from $90 million to $125 million but ended up earning over $1.38 Billion. Yes, I said Billion. It is now the biggest-earning Warner Bros. movie ever, globally. 356.3 million tickets were sold worldwide. Barbie was directed by Greta Gerwig who became the highest-grossing female director by topping Patty Jenkins for 2017’s Wonder Woman. Gerwig was able to create a powerful message by taking the sugar-coated typical Barbie movie and addressing issues like sexism and self-doubt. “I think that it emphasizes the expectations put on women so women are expected to be firm but not too firm and pretty but not too pretty,” said Mrs. Deanna Rowley. “It stopped to shine a light on the unrealistic expectations women have to keep up with. It’s hard to keep up with these roles without
getting burnt out.” However, by taking a popular and innocent kids’ doll and incorporating real-world issues, Gerwig and the movie received some backlash. The biggest criticism the movie received was for its “wokeness” and that it seemed to want to separate women and men rather than bring everyone together. While there was expected criticism from misogynistic males, the movie also ended up with backlash from “fake” feminists. They slammed the movie for sending out the message that yes, male patriarchy is bad but female? patriarchy is good. However, a few Brewster Academy students were interviewed on two questions: first, what did they think of the movie’s overall message, and second, did they think Greta Gerwig executed the project well? “I thought the movie had a really powerful message and that it demonstrated a woman’s perspective very nicely and how men can distort reality and make women feel validated about their experiences,” said Gracie Mouradian ’24. “I think the movie conveyed the message well for a wide audience as I felt like kids would still enjoy the movie even if they don’t fully grasp the concepts.”
Barbie not only helped cinemas and movie theaters get their second wind but also helped businesses everywhere. Birkenstock sandals for women have jumped more than 300% and Mattel sales have increased by at least 25% since the Barbie premiere. Even paint companies have been impacted since the movie set used so much pink paint that there is now a global shortage.
Overall, even though the movie did get a bunch of criticism, it reached an audience of women and girls everywhere of all ages. The film not only entertained but inspired, empowered, and connected with its audience through their experience with Barbie. The movie challenged stereotypes and showed that just like Barbie herself, can be anything they want to be.
ing the annual town warrant. The Planning Board has responsibilities like developing the Master Plan for planning and Development, reviewing Site Plans and Subdivision Plans for new developments, and proposing amendments to Zoning Ordinances. According to the Wolfeboro town website, wolfeboronh.us, “The Building Department is committed to providing the citizens of Wolfeboro with an application process that is straightforward, timely, and consistent. We strive to provide the information our citizens need in order to submit complete and approvable applications.” “There are various parameters that a Commercial development needs to meet starting with the allowed ‘permitted uses’ within the particular zone the property is located within”, the website continues. Business owner Randy Tetreault broke down the process further. “Once past that initial hurdle, the proposed Commercial application needs to navigate through the Site Plan Review process which includes not only those regulations but any other associated regulation requirements included in the overall Municipal ordinances,” said Tetreault. “Once safely through those parts then the actual architectural building plans need to be submitted to the Build-
ing Inspector /Codes Office for compliance review.” Another local business owner, Nickolas Laganas, who owns Carroll County Construction, also spoke to the difficulty of the process. “As far as I am aware there are multiple steps in order to obtain a building permit for said structures in Wolfeboro,” Laganas said. “From a residential standpoint, the town is pretty efficient at providing a building permit approval in a relatively short time. I have not had much experience on the commercial side of things yet. However, I have heard that it can be quite difficult. ”While I believe this is an important process for any town, I do feel like some people however have insider info on the process and are granted favors over others,” he said. Along with the usual, what are some additional hurdles the town gives? For example, the one “fast food” restaurant we have in town isn't allowed to have a neon sign. (That’s Dunkin’ Donuts.) “Although they may not openly admit it, they want it to stay pretty much how they remember it and that doesn't leave a whole lot of room for new modern business,” said Tertreault. “They would rather put properties in perpetual conservation. Both things can
be accomplished in harmony IF common sense is applied to both viewpoints.” Tetreault is not the only one who feels this way. “I do feel that the town is biased towards ‘keeping Wolfeboro, Wolfeboro’, said Laganas. “I feel like certain people who have been elected to sit on the town boards are more interested in personal agendas. I feel like the town is not on the same page as far as the rules and regulations are and that some people overstep their job description duty.” From the business standpoint, how could Wolfeboro better provide assistance to company owners? “I feel like the town needs to look at their overall goals,” said Laganas. “Without bringing in a long-term business plan I think many of our youth will leave town and in a short time Wolfeboro will be labor deprived causing a greater strain on our local economy.” As future 14-year-olds look forward, thinking about starting a business, they should now be realizing the struggles of owning a company in a small town like Wolfeboro. A big concern is wondering if the youth will stick around to build Wolfeboro's business, or if they'll take their future somewhere else due to the conditions for starting a successful company in a small town like this.
Greta Gerwig directs Margot Robbie and Ryan Gossling in the new Barbie movie
How Businesses Influence Teenage Life in Wolfeboro cont from pg. 1
A more open range of businesses seems like a perfect solution. For example, it would be wonderful if we had a movie theater! But how realistic is that for our small town? According to business owners in Wolboro, many things contribute to owning a business here. For example, there is a process for a Site Plan Review, the building plans need to be submitted for review, and more. There are also over 20 Committees and Boards all specific to one realm of the town. The three most relevant boards, the Board of Selectmen, the Business Department, and the Planning Board, both share big responsibilities. The Board of Selectmen are the Chief Elected Officials of the Town, according to the Town of Wolfeboro website, and they have a fiduciary responsibility to the Town to implement the decisions made by the voters at the Annual Town Election and to prudently manage the Town’s financial affairs. They have a variety of specific powers, such as; licensing, setting fees, regulating town roads and commons, laying out town roads, establishing welfare guidelines, regulating the use of town property, appointing the town manager, appointing members of many town boards and committees, setting up the polling place for town elections and post-
7 October 14, 2023
Features
Revivals Reignite Broadway by Liam Fahey '24
are struggling with identity. It is set in the backdrop of the Vietnam War and explores drugs and the sexual revolution. Even now, this piece may appear controversial to some, but at the time it was more controversial than ever because it opened while people were still experiencing its main topics in real life. The critiques went as far as to send the musical to the Supreme Court to deem its content unlawful. In 2009, Hair returned to Broadway and still sparked similar controversies. However, this time, Hair had far succeeded in its original run. Critics assume that maybe Hair did better its second time because of its newfound relevance to the current state of the world. Hair is a perfect example of a musical that if given a second chance could be so important to so many people. This past year, three highly anticipated revivals were neck and neck for the title of Best Revival of a Musical at the 2023 Tony Awards. Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and Parade by Jason Robert Brown were up for the award. All three musicals reinvented the original material in new and inventive ways and were all beautiful pieces of theatre. However, in the end, Parade would win the title. Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, though excellent, did not move audiences in the current state of the world in the way that Parade was able to do. Parade is a musical about a Jewish man who was wrongly accused of sexually assaulting a young girl and later hung for it. As antisemitism is yet again on the rise in the world, the revival of Parade moved audiences in a way that the original production hadn’t quite accomplished. Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd’s broad themes on life will always remain relevant, and they will succeed at any time. Parade is necessary for the climate right now.
Camps To Collegiate: High School Recruiting cont. on pg. 6
school. The power lies within the college because the colleges can give out real scholarships, and they choose who to bring on from which school. For elite athletes, high school and college are just stepping stones to the world of professional sports. While high schools can carry a lot of weight in the recruiting world. The spotlight is changing to the area where the athletes play and who they can get to watch, for example, the National Interscholastic Basketball League (NIBC) holds ten of the best high school basketball teams in the country. The new basketball league has been on ESPN channels over
the past couple of years and has 30 of the top-ranked high school basketball players playing on an NIBC team, including the highest-ranked high school basketball player in the country, Cooper Flagg of Monte Verde. The NIBC is a powerhouse of a league because of the talent, coaching, and organizations it is aligned with, and the exposure it is able to get out of it which benefits both the players and the schools. Once again, camps typically help in the summer and give coaches the opportunity to see the players in action. Travis Gillen ’26, who was recruited to Brewster as a freshman, described his recruiting process as starting with when he went to the United States Premier
Jade Hall '22 and Liam Fahey '24 star in Brewster Academy's 2022 production of Into the Woods
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Throughout time, art has always evolved and aimed to achieve something unique. The art of reviving past, famous musicals or plays ensures that Broadway will constantly remain fresh. A Broadway revival takes place when someone decides that it’s time to re-present a work of theatre on the stage. For example, the Broadway show Chicago is actually a revival of its original production which mounted Broadway in 1975 and ran 936 performances. Its revival, which premiered in 1996, is still running on Broadway today and has surpassed 10,000 performances and is granted the title of “The Longest Running Revival in History.” Revivals have always been about reinventing something for the current time to make the show more relevant to audiences or more interesting than its predecessor. Revivals bring a new light to a possibly old or outdated piece of theatre. Stephen Sondheim’s musical Company follows Bachelor Bobby on his 35th birthday interacting with his married friends. The third Broadway revival of this musical took a new spin on the show’s original context. Director Marianne Elliot wondered how the show might look if all of the roles were gender-swapped. With Sondheim’s blessing, Elliot and Sondheim worked together to alter the original text to make it more relevant today. For the first time, the musical featured a samesex couple. The third Broadway revival of Company would go on to win five Tony Awards including Best Revival, acknowledging that the changes made were relevant and impactful for today’s audiences. Sometimes, a revival happens because the original run didn’t do as well as the industry predicted or hoped it might have. Hair: The Musical is about a group of 60s-era youth who
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Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus star in the Broadway Revival of Into the Woods
T h ro u g h o u t t i m e , t h e m o s t successful revivals have been relevant to audiences at the time it is revived. Revivals are made to move audiences in a way that the original material couldn’t
do at the time. As we look to the future, it is the job of young artists to continue to reinvent the old and bring something fresh and experimental to the stage.
Hockey League (USHPL) U16 hockey camp, and a Brewster coach was there and saw him, Brewster then reached out to him. The 6’4 defenseman started his Brewster hockey career on varsity and has played in the New England Fall Prep Hockey League (NEFPHL) 18U, United States High School, Preparatory (USHSPrep), and the Peak Performance Prep Hockey (PPP) since 2022. Gillen is a hockey player out of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Gillen is listed as #103 on Elite Prospect’s 2025 Top 350 US Draft Prospects. Being recruited to a high school for a player ’s specific sport can be extremely helpful and change the course of an athlete’s journey because of the exposure, opportunities, coaching, and facilities that can be utilized by the
athlete. More high-level high school athletes are seeking to go to prep schools as competition gets more competitive. The recruitment process can seek the post-graduate who has the most growth, experience, and coaching compared to younger athletes. Recruiting whether at the high school or college level is full of individual complexities and strategies. Specifically with high school recruiting, the complications with working with individuals under the age of 18 in athletics present their own issues. Extremely talented athletes who have high chances at playing at the collegiate level create high stakes and with the increase in media coverage, the spotlight on the athletes is creating the greatest generation of athletes the country has ever seen.
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features
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W OR D O N THE STREET by Zoe Hausler ’24
Questions: 1) Who is your favorite faculty pet? 2) Which teacher would you trust with your secrets? 3) What song encompasses your Brewster experience so far? 4) Which Brewster student is most likely to go Tik Tok famous?
Liam Taylor ‘24: Colin Petty ’24:
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1) The Hills' cat that is everywhere. 2) Mr. Moore 3) Poker Face 4) Preston Fowler
1) 2) 3) 4)
The german shepherd Dr. Link Pursuit of Happiness Me
October 14, 2023
Hall Talk
“This lasagna low-key slaps” - AA “Durrr” - AA “Jam is not my Jam.” - RR "What if God came down one day and said, 'It's pronounced 'Jod' and then left?'" - OR “Death is free” - RR “You low-key look like my ex.” - RR “I understand…….. nothing.” - RR “If you hackin' you lackin'.” - HB “I'm never gonna get my license, I'm way too lazy for that.” ET “That depends on what you consider people.” - RR “Okay…It's been real.” - GM HALL TALK THROWBACKS “Is a week the same time in Spain as it is here?” “You’re not late if you don’t show up!” Spray Tans were SO 2000.
Fall Family Weekend Schedule
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SATURDAY ATHLETICS 9:30-11 a.m. Athletic practices for Interscholastic Teams
Musah Bility ’27: 1) 2) 3) 4)
Gus the bus Mr. Snowdon Skeeyee Ellery Gnazzo
4:30 p.m. Boys’ JV Soccer vs. Berwick Fry Field
Ellie Armstrong ‘24: 1) Kona 2) Paige Moore because she gets me. 3) Forgive Me Friend 4) Liam Taylor 1) 2) 3) 4)
Harper Dolce ’26: 1) Gus the bus 2) Ms. Hunter 3) Good Life 4) Liam Taylor
Reese Cronin ’25: Gus Mr. Hersey Probably a Zach Bryan song Harper Dolce
Try the Brewster Crossword on Page 5!
4:30 p.m. Girls’ JV Soccer vs. Gould Brown Field THROUGHOUT THE DAY FRIDAY: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Welcome area/Firepit/S’mores Lamb Green/Dohrmann Circle SATURDAY: 9 a.m-1 p.m. Welcome Tent w/ Cider and Coffee Lamb Green FRIDAY: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Games, Cornhole, Photobooth Rogers Building Quad area FRIDAY: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. SATRUDAY: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Campus Store Pop-Up Rogers Building Flex Classroom