The MUS Lower School Blog

Alumnus Felsenthal a journalist beast

Sunday's Commercial Appeal brought back great memories from my days as an MUS student. Edward Felsenthal, executive director of The Daily Beast, a popular on-line news magazine, served as editor-in-chief of The Owl's Hoot in the early 1980s. He ran a respected operation, clearly the class of local high school rags, and his celebrity among the students extended to the broader East Memphis youth culture as his efforts supported some thoughtful and comedic editorials and articles. 

What I enjoyed most about Sunday's article was the tone in which Edward reminisced about his experience as a young person given his leadership role at school. He shouldered the mantle of the job admirably, intuitively sensing both the responsibility and the consequences of his words and deeds. Historically, most of our student leaders are capable of exhibiting similar qualities, and it is no surprise to hear of their future success. Edward is one in a long line of our exceptional student leaders, but he stands out in my mind, and I know many of us share a similar opinion. 

While I could not fully express my appreciation of his abilities then, his work attracted me, and it is satisfying to hear his positive reflection on his time here as a student. As teachers, we want our students to exhibit the sensibilities and satisfaction whereby they can, too, one day reflect upon their lives and sense a continuity running through their studies and relationships first developed on our watch. The big picture is ever present for us, and I know that Edward's instructors are satisfied by his thoughtfulness both while here and as a graduate.

Little Edwards are all around us today, scurrying around these halls, seeking something meaningful to produce, to conquer, to explore. Within our various courses of instruction, our job is to help give birth to as well as to nurture the infantile longings within the hearts and minds of our charges as the boys continue to uncover life and negotiate how to live it. Our's is a noble pursuit, and Edward's gracious responses to the people and instruction here motivate me to encourage more of the same. 

Kudos for "self-binding"

Infinite information when compared and contrasted to infinite knowledge... it's worth discussing. MUS Academic Dean Rick Broer reminded me to consider the subject recently discussed in past Sunday's New York Times Magazine.  Author Peggy Orenstein, a big Internet fan, offers this perspective: "If we’re inundated with data, our brains’ synthesizing functions are overwhelmed by the effort to keep up. And the original purpose — deeper knowledge of a subject — is lost..."

Her piece here is really something to consider, and our children, who occupy a very different world allowing on-line access to the universe of information, need wisdom, discipline, and discernment... and books... less they surf the web to their unintentional myopia. "Myopia" is a shortsightedness... a double entendre in this case as the minimal proximity from face to screen given instant access to the entirety of available on-line information should arguably result in a broadmindedness from the longsightedness offered through the world wide web. Obviously, the tool here, the Internet, is not the issue. Our human condition is the issue, and wisely Ms. Orenstein urges caution when wielding the tool lest we get lost in our honest pursuits. She concludes, "As alluring as we can find the perpetual pursuit of little thoughts, the net result may only be to prevent us from forming the big ones." Well said.

O, the temptation to deconstruct her use of "net result...!" 

William Safire, RIP

"Today’s mind-bending surge toward the use of words about graphs and poll trends — even when presented in color on elaborate Power Point presentations — takes us steps away from reality. There must be a curve to illustrate that, and I say bend it way back," wrote William Safire just a few weeks ago. Sadly, we will not hear from him again. His last published article points to the expanded use of graphs and images and its effects on language in our culture. It's a bit haunting to read his final article. He was always a titan in support of proper English usage, and his insight was something that I will always remember as a choice dose of daily wisdom my parents would excitedly present to me as I wiped away the morning cobwebs while slurping down my Fruit Loops. His type is becoming harder to find in our age, and his example inspires me and others here as we aim to instruct these boys in our care towards the importance of language and substance.  

Memphis Leaders speakers series kicks off

The Runnin' Rabbi Micah Greenstein (left, and veteran of 13 marathons!) kicked off the 2009-2010 Memphis Leaders speaking series this morning in the Lower School. Pictured from left to right from Dr. Greenstein are Memphis Leaders committee member Mr. Judd Peters ('81), Student Council vice-president Malik Smith, Memphis Leaders director Mr. Eddie Batey, MUS Board of Directors member Mark Halperin ('67) and Lower School principal Mr. Clay Smythe ('85).

Rabbi Greenstein serves as president of the Memphis Ministers Association, among his various duties while not performing his chief calling as Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel, and his community-wide presence as a Memphis leader is something our boys need to know to inform their civic education. He talked about realizing the potential of our covenant brotherhood as a common humanity as preferable to merely existing as a diverse group of people who tolerate one another. He encouraged the boys to take time to get to know each other, to celebrate the different abilities each guy brings to the table, thus making our colorful tapestry at MUS a stronger brotherhood. Amen!

Some respectfully disagree. Good for them.

We're on a healthy eating theme as of late here at school, and Mr. Tenent recently shared with me a new creation from the fast food market that is sure to hit River City sooner than later. Be forewarned; the graphic images of copious calories may be disturbing to some viewers.

With regard to healthy eating choices, some of our boys have balked at the "no candy" policy, respectfully displaying their opposition in the populist form of collecting signatures in order to reverse the Draconian edict. Notice I say, "respectfully." These boys are in training to become leaders, independent thinkers who look for opportunity in the face of a set-back.

Good for them! We respect their overt challenge. It's a sign of their emotional intelligence, their both intuitive and trained, responsive act of negotiating for their wants rather than folding in a submissive resignation. It may be a controversial discussion to some, but we like it when a boy stands up for himself. Schools may too often be tempted to practice either a permissive allowance or a cold, hard line when students exercise their opinions, and we admittedly operate with the luxury of serving good kids from good families in a culture of personal responsibility. That is our advantage.

"Talking back" to an authority figure is not the case here. Talking back does occur, and it is disrespectful, selfish, and the sign of a spoiled child in need of correction. In contrast, their respectfully gathering signatures is evidence that all of us, parents and teachers alike, are doing our jobs. 

This summer I read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. It's a fun, insightful read presenting the reasons as to why some individuals lie outside of the regular ability distribution. In other words, can just anybody be Bill Gates? Did his home environment, time of birth, and the coinciding cultural developments contribute significantly to his opportunity for fame? Chapters 3 and 4 present a type of case study where nature and nurture are compared and contrasted in the lives of some very bright children turned adults, and the main theme of environment supports my argument for being excited about our boys' petition. 

The boys still don't get candy, but they may have earned the opportunity for something better. We would like them gradually to comprehend the larger picture surrounding the seemingly trivial act of gathering signatures. That's just an example of why it's exciting to work with these fellas.

MUS grad sees the big picture

Wake the boys, turn off the tube, let in the dog. Everyone sit down, and someone read this out-load to the family.

Paul Tudor Jones on Failure

Posted using ShareThis

Freedom, dignity, and a common humanity

Do your children respond to the name of a particular place currently making its way in the news, Tiananmen Square? 

Do you remember where you were in May 1989 when the now-famous image beamed across the television airwaves? I suggest you take the time to consider the opportunity to do so with your boys as more of a moral obligation than a passing idea. Our freedoms that we have inherited in America are precious, and many of our ancestors, like the sole man against the column of tanks, stood in the face of similar opposition over the last 230 years to get us where we are today. Many of them died in circumstances that would test us beyond anything we have experienced in our modern lives. Our kids need to be reminded. They shouldn't feel guilty. Far from it. However, they should feed their growing exercise of learning what it means to be grateful, to both God and man, for the excess and opportunities we are allowed today. Who knows... maybe our children will one day be in the same position as our forefathers, possibly even that of the lone Chinese freedom-fighter. 

Wise advice from a swimming official

Friend of the Blog (F.O.B) Bruce Ryan ('80) is always good for a ripe suggestion to our audience, and recently he brought up a healthy reminder which I want to call to your attention. Being the start of June, many of us are likely to encounter a swim meet or two, and to that end, if we cheer at said swim meet, let us remember that the setting is a microcosm of much more going on around us. I really enjoyed this piece. Hope you do as well. 

I like this quote I recently came upon in Newsweek by Raina Kelly about a book entitled The Narcissism Epidemic written by Jean Twenge W. Keith Campbell: 

"Treating the whole world as if it works for you doesn't suggest you're special, it means you're an ass. As an antidote to a skyrocketing self-worth, Twenge recommends humility, evaluating yourself more accurately, mindfulness and putting others first. Such values may seem quaint, maybe even   self-defeating, to those of us who think we're special, but trust me: it gets easier with practice."

The article was sent to me by a friend, a professional counselor who works with affluent kids, private school kids, achievement-driven kids... kids who resemble the flavor of the boys who go here. Boys like I was.

I like the article, that's why I pass it along. It reminds me of my childhood when I recall always falling behind in the color scheme that tracked my reading log. When compared to everyone else in second grade, I was behind. I clearly remember it. My mom, who had little sympathy for my position, put me in summer school with some reading tutor who had me go over and over some workbook called "Catching On." Later, I achieved a D in vocabulary on one report card. I hadn't been studying. I don't recall my score being the teacher's fault. Shoot, my 0-6 football season came a little after that. We got our brains beat in by both public and private schools. That's back in the day when seventh-graders played along side of ninth-graders, especially when your school had to employ kids from all the Junior High grades in order to field a team. Usually those kinds of teams weren't very good against real competition.

Even after all that, looking back now, I was pretty resilient. I laughed a lot of it off. Frankly, I had some low expectations of myself. Not until I came to MUS and earned an F on a term paper did I start to realize that there were some standards out there that were not going to go away. Either I was going to change my ways in accordance to those standards, or I was never going to get my name in the Honor Roll, much less enjoy school and learning. I remember my folks saying, "Yeah, MUS will be difficult for you. There's always __________," they said matter-of-fact. One could fill in various options of their choosing here.

Charm gets some of us to a point, but as early as second grade, I knew full well that Ken Jones was a better reader, and his color chart demonstrated an ability I was yet to reach. I didn't cry about it, that's for sure. I was probably a little bit too interested in myself and my world to be concerned with things like "demonstrating a command of the material."

All that to say, today we reviewed the school year in assembly, and we recorded some impressive academic, social, and athletic results since beginning in August. Some top achievers academically will get public recognition tomorrow at the same time, same place. Those whose names will not be called understand why, and they may be able to work towards such distinction in the future. However, some students will not have their name called their entire MUS career. That said, history shows us that in college and grad school, these same guys grow to demonstrate aptitude, and many learn to achieve at a very high level. These guys point back to having had to work very hard at MUS just to reach the median. In other words, the standards and the community then propelled the young men later on towards what they eventually grew into being able to achieve.

So, if no awards now, pledge to work harder and sacrifice more in order to make the choices necessary to rise in the ranks tomorrow. Being a narcissist gets in the way of true happiness which is not built upon a false image of self-esteem and "getting by on charm." Real happiness is built upon the humility, respect for others, and discipline that real life requires in order to grow into a good person. Jesus said, "When you lose your life, you find it." The principle of humility and respect applies here. It's difficult grasping this when one is young, but we believe that our boys must strive towards achieving high objectives, putting their "self" under and behind honest efforts, not in front of them. As the article says, it tends to become easier with practice.

To AP or not AP, that is the question

Today's New York Times offers a compelling discussion over the rise in parent requests for their children to enroll in as many Advanced Placement courses as possible in order to enhance their high school transcripts. "Earning college credit, standing out from the crowd, gaining skills, broadening intellectual horizons... " are qualities pimped by the College Board for AP course takers. MUS is one of the schools where the pressure from parents for their boys to enroll in these classes is high, and for good reason. 90% score a 3 or above, and 3 is generally accepted by colleges for credit, but clearly not in all cases.

In 2007, MUS senior AP results: 31% scored 5, 34% 4, 24% 3. 11% scored under a 3. No college gives credit for anything lower than a three, and MUS will move a student out at semester if AP requirements look to be inconsistent with student performance. As students apply for AP, MUS generally has them enrolled already in the appropriate academic pipeline so that there are few surprises. Again, look at the 2007 stats. Overwhelmingly, the system works out. That said, MUS verifies the rationality of each student's AP course selection and invites students either to challenge themselves or counsels out students where necessary. It's a balancing act.

Taking the College Board's language at face value, I think that MUS fulfills both to the letter and to the spirit of AP in our curriculum. AP enhances our curriculum, and obviously it is the only way for students to receive advanced college credit. However, our teachers and their courses stimulate the intellectual and social maturity of our boys without AP. Bottom line(s): These things generally take care of themselves. Our faculty encourages our boys to enroll according to demonstrated appropriate abilities. Parents should "lean in" on their boy where they see a need for higher standards. Don't push where unnecessary. Do a little bit every day towards the big goal and the big goal usually works out. There are a lot of college match options, so maintain an open mind. And, enjoy learning. That's an easy one to forget.