Usually, when we speak of Proctor's egalitarian nature, the topic is philosophic: seniors don't have a lot of privilege (or should we say ninth graders have lots of privilege: same in-dorm time, choice of study space, choice of meal attendance, where to sit in dining room, etc.), teachers choose to be addressed by the first name, we work together in service activities such as the dishroom. Monday morning's breakfast in the Wise Community Center punctuated the topic, as administrators, faculty and staff beat eggs, grilled waffles, and fried pork products for 116 new students.
At ten o'clock, Mike Henriques and Betsy Paine welcomed everyone, and conveyed the fact that they--too--are transitioning to new circumstances, with all of the emotions that accompany a new start in a new place. From the camera's perspective, everyone looked pretty comfortable.
The morning proceeded with a scavenger hunt that took small groups of students to disparate corners of the campus where different issues might be resolved. It was a true on-campus orientation. Meanwhile, returning students were...well.....returning. The Parent Association's signature Hospitality Cart was stationed in front of Maxwell Savage serving up lemonade, apples and cookies.
After a barbeque dinner, a fine rock band from San Francisco called Ten Mile Tide played on the steps of The Wise.
This was a day in which the 2005 community came together.
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