One of the myths I have advanced over the years is that Proctor has a distinct genetic code comprised of three qualities: experiential modes of teaching and learning, the heretical notion that structured academic support benefits anyone's performance, and social informality. Of these, the fact that students address teachers with first names may be our most distinguishing characteristic. At the beginning-of-the-year faculty meetings, student School Leader John Pellett remarked "If everyone knew everyone else's name here, the school would be a better place." Could it be that--despite our informality-- many students don't know others' names? Steve Wilkins was in charge of assembly Monday, and set up a test; asking two ninth graders and two seniors to take turns naming different randomly selected line ups.

We enroll 336 students, and we're just 100 days into the year. Would ninth graders have a chance? Is it possible that seniors tend to befriend upper classpersons? Then there's the fact that 30-something "old" students just returned from Ocean Classroom, Spain and France! Here are ninth graders Stephanie and Chris nailing one name after another.

It was the two seniors, however, who ruled. Kelby and John (the School Leader) ran through two dozen monickers with only one hesitation.

The freshpersons had a line-up that included Maria Jose Ortega Rokiski, one of two beloved native Spanish teachers from the Segovia program just visiting for a week (the other is Rosa Maria Palomares Gomez). How could they know her name?