The average Haverford student tries to abide by the core virtues the school promotes.
Haverford students may be known as upstanding and respectful to those looking from the outside in; can the same be said from an insider looking within? With virtue supposedly in their hearts, why do Haverford men take such poor care of their home?
So many students come together to celebrate what they perceive as important—sports games, entertainment—but then fail to acknowledge other people’s priorities. Perhaps most students only do things for their own benefit.
Fords will go to a sports game for entertainment, to fit in, and to be liked, but then do not clean up the school because it is not their “job” to do so.
Fords will go to a sports game for entertainment, to fit in, and to be liked, but then do not clean up the school because it is not their “job” to do so.
With no obligation, limited risk of getting into trouble, and no one watching, most students see no incentive to act. However, these very actions shape our character, our identity, and more importantly, our brotherhood.
This is specifically shown in the dining hall and in the Community Room where students often leave trash for someone else to pick up. The administration has taken note of this, enforcing punishment for this kind of behavior, by taking away the ping pong tables and some comfy chairs for periods of time. Regardless of the punishment, students continue to do the same thing.
“It’s more than just kids not caring about the spaces, they are not thinking that their actions have bigger impacts,” Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade said. “The students do neglect to take care of shared spaces, despite our emphasis on honor and responsibility, but I think most of the time it’s unintentional. A lot of the time kids are just careless, and some kids are used to people cleaning up after them in their own lives. Lastly, you also get people hanging out, then they realize they need to get to class and they leave their trash behind.”
Students have been found stuffing trash in between chairs so no one can see it.
Outside our locker room, where the brotherhood unites around a highly anticipated game, a quote reads, “Champions are made when no one is watching.” This quote attempts to remind us, students, that true character and integrity are demonstrated through our actions when there is no audience. It challenges us to uphold our values consistently, not just when it benefits us or when others are observing.
To paraphrase what the Head of Upper School Mr. Mark Fifer said at the Friday assembly reflecting on the Malvern basketball game, there are stereotypes that Haverford students are spoiled and arrogant, but we will never stoop down and respond to that level of disrespect because that is not what winners do.
You should be proud to be a Ford.
