On Feb. 23, 1954, The Ford Foundation made it their duty to spend a $25,000,000 grant on its subsidiary, Fund for the Advancement of Education.

At that time, this was the foundation’s largest sum of money in history and would be used for eight to 12 years to “to continue its programs with schools, colleges, and universities,” according to a report by The Crimson and Henry Ford, II, chairman of the foundation in 1954.

The Ford Foundation is still in business and working towards creating social change, according to their website, but the Fund for Advancement of Education was discontinued nearly 20 years after its grant was given, according to the Catalog of Rockefeller Archive Center.

Over 60 years later, the United States is still struggling with the advancement of education.

Olivia belanger / administrative executive editor

On Feb 7, 2017, Betsy DeVos was appointed the Secretary of Education after a historic vote from Vice President, Mike Pence.

DeVos has spent her first couple of weeks visiting public schools, receiving much backlash and criticism.

DeVos is the first Secretary of Education in the Department of Education who has not been involved in public schools as a parent, student or educator.

The department has been around for 35 years and this is the first time this has happened.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in fall 2016, an estimated 50.4 million students will attend public elementary and secondary schools, in comparison to an estimated 5.2 million students to attend private elementary and secondary schools.

In one of her more recent schools visits, DeVos criticized the teaching at a public school in Washington D.C., claiming that the teachers were in “receive mode” and that they did not have the hunger to teach students.

According to Townhall.com, a “leading source for conservative news and political commentary and analysis”, DeVos said “ I visited a school [Jefferson Middle School] on Friday and met with some wonderful, genuine, sincere teachers who pour their heart and soul into their classrooms and their students and our conversation was not long enough to draw out of them what is limiting them from being even more success from what they are currently. But I can tell the attitude is more of a ‘receive mode.’ They’re waiting to be told what they have to do, and that’s not going to bring success to an individual child. You have to have teachers who are empowered to facilitate great teaching.”

The U.S. is continuing to have issues in education and funding for such even over 50 years later.

In 1970, Richard Nixon was the president of the United States, John Lennon announced The Beatles were disbanding, the Apollo 13 accident occurred and Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel was the top hit.

On Feb. 17, 1970 at Keene State College, The Monadnock [The Equinox’s former name], reported that there was an open hearing for proposed changes in the elementary and secondary education programs that would have possibly eliminated the B.Ed. degree.

file photo / jake coughlin

This proposed program meant that for the first two years at Keene State College (KSC), students in the education program would follow the liberal arts track and substitute a B.A. or B.S. degree in its place so that students weren’t required to commit themselves to elementary or secondary education, and delay the choice two years.

The program at this time was also measured in how many hours each part required.

For example, one semester would include 15-16 hours or professional electives in the senior year.

Prior to becoming Keene State College, KSC was Keene Teachers College, making this 1970 proposal from Dr. Paul Blacketor, Chairman of the Education Dept. noteworthy.

Currently in the education program at KSC, students are required to double major in a liberal arts major and the option of either Early Childhood Development, Elementary Education or Secondary Education.

Then there are other specialized options, Music Education and Physical Education which lead to K-12 Certification.

If there were ever a book that explains millennial dating habits, antics and romantic ideas, Aziz Ansari’s Modern Romance hits the nail on the head.

Ansari writes all about the menaces, triumphs and misery of dating in the modern world through funny quips, anecdotes and even some personal stories.

Dating in the digital age is hard, and Ansari paints a beautiful, uncovered painting of how bonkers dating truly has become.

It made me blush at some points, knowing that I had done some of the things he had mentioned in the book.

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

Ansari is well-known for his role in the NBC show, Parks and Recreation as Tom Haverford, and that type of humor comes into play in his book.

There are several memorable quotes from this book that epitomize dating and relationships in the modern era.

He often refers back to how his parents once lived and how they fell in love and the idea of a much simpler time.

He emphasizes certain key factors in the day of modern dating.

For example, “Unlike phone calls, which bind two people in real-time conversations that require at least some shared interpretation of the situation, communication by text has no predetermined temporal sequencing and lots of room for ambiguity.”

What was particularly great about this book was the fact that he teamed up with a sociologist and actually did research on how technology, apps and the use of the internet has changed dating in the modern world.

He does not try to sugarcoat the aspect of modern dating and expresses the silliness of the fact that human interactions face-to-face are not what they used to be.

This book is all about how easy it is to get to know someone in the digital age, and the truthfulness behind it is pretty precise.

But, one critique I have on this otherwise well-written memoir, is that he doesn’t really offer any solutions to the problem.

Sure, it is all about how things have evolved and less about how we go back to the way our parents met back in the olden days, but I think that many people have begun to get fed up with the digital age and how difficult it can be for some people to accept a face-to-face conversation.

He did however, offer up a quote that seems to make a lot of sense and gives some insight about how we would go about being upfront and engaged with the ones we love.

“Spend more time with people, less time in front of a screen, and—since we’re all in it together—be nice to people.”

In my opinion, Ansari sums up how twisted things can become from an iMessage to a Tinder message, using real conversations between him and his significant other.

He is completely candid throughout the entire memior and allows the reader inside of his dating life and his constant struggles and triumphs with dating in the modern digital age.

I would give this book an A, for the amount of examples he uses, to the real screen shots of messages between him and his former dates, all the way up to his current serious significant other.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com

It didn’t seem possible.

Then, the New England Patriots did the most “Patriots” thing ever.

This is the game my grandkids will ask about, and I will be able to tell them of the time that Tom Brady served a four-game suspension and won a Lombardi Trophy in the same season.

It wasn’t just a normal Super Bowl win either; it was the most dramatic and drastic comeback in Super Bowl history.

It all started when Julian Edelman made an unreal catch late in the fourth quarter and turned the entire game around.

I watched every single replay just waiting to see the ball touch the ground and have the catch be overturned, but every angle proved that Edelman pulled off one of the most clutch catches, maybe ever.

This historic Super Bowl LI brought me to tears, first because I saw the team crumbling through the first three quarters of the game, then because I saw the Pats do what the Pats do and turn a 19-point deficit into a 34-28 win.

The Atlanta Falcons looked tired, timid and collapsed under the pressure of the veteran New England team late in the third quarter.

Within four plays, the Pats were able to tie the game up and force overtime, while forcing my nerves and heart rate far beyond normal.

I swear it is like this franchise wants me to agonize every single Super Bowl and the Pats just don’t make it easy on their fans.

Elise Amendola/ AP Photo

This game was one for us, proving to everyone that we are the NFL powerhouse and no matter what the commissioner, other franchises or other fan bases do or say, New England comes up when it matters.

Without Rob Gronkowski for an important portion of the season, several players stepped up for the remainder of the season and into the Super Bowl.

Running back James White came up strong in this game with a total of 14 receptions and the game-winning touchdown.

Brady also now holds the record for Super Bowl yardage with a whopping 466 yards.

It all came down to the clutchness of this team and the way they make plays- find the passing lanes and crash through like a bat out of hell.

After a clutch performance like Brady showed in the last quarter and overtime, there is not a single person who can put up a legitimate argument saying that Brady is not the greatest quarterback of all time, and us New England fans don’t call him the GOAT for nothing.

And those people who would try to make an argument against it probably  were also part of the Deflategate conspiracy and are mad because their team hasn’t won five Super Bowls in the past 15 years and their quarterback isn’t the winningest quarterback in Super Bowl wins.

There are some numbers that prove that this game was not one the Pats were supposed to win after halfway through the third quarter.

According to ESPN, the Falcons’ win probability was 99.6 percent after kicker Stephen Gostkowski hit a 33-yard field goal with less than 10 minutes left in regulation.

The number one rule in journalism is speaking truth to power, and one thing that we know is that the Patriots  and Tom Brady overcome all odds.

What a time to be alive as a New England sports fan.

At 21 years old, I have witnessed five Super Bowl wins, three World Series Championship wins, one Stanley Cup and one NBA title.

My dad and grandparents tell me all the time how privileged I am to have been born when I was and witness all the greatness these franchises have put forth in the past 21 years, and they’re right. I still can’t believe it and have been reeling since Edelman’s catch.

While the game was obviously unbelieveable, the trophy presentations were the best, most comfortable and awesome thing I have witnessed in a while.

When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had to hand Patriots owner Robert Kraft the Lombardi Trophy, the body language from Kraft said it all.

On top of that, the presentation of the MVP trophy from Goodell to Brady said it too, for the body language alone was enough to get me fired up. This may be the single greatest moment between a player and the commissioner of a sport.

There is just something incredible about sports and how a win or a loss can literally make or break an entire fan base.

The entire vibe in Keene, New Hampshire, on Sunday night after the win was something so unreal to witness.

Sports bring people together and people forget about what else is going on in the world as they get behind a team and a game.

This game is one that I will never forget and will live on in infamy in the minds of all sports fans.

I think Tom Brady Sr. summed it up best when he said, “We don’t need anybody’s approval to validate everything that he’s done,” according to Sports Illustrated.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at Mcurtin@kscequinox.com

While Gray Haven did not set out to become a quartet, they quickly formed a bond and the group has not looked back since.

Four Keene State College (KSC) students have been making other students rock out with their pop punk and rock sound, whether it be at Solar Fest, Rocktober Fest or in their basement that has been dubbed as “The Oasis.”

The band is comprised of four KSC students, who all happen to know each other from their fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon; Ricky Pelchar is on lead guitar and vocals, Joe Sansone is on bass, Nick St Amour is on rhythm guitar and Mike Holahan is on drums.

Photos contributed by Lauren Holahan

“It started out my f[irst] year with me and Joe and some other dudes who still play music and they needed a singer. They were playing in Holloway and I told them I could do it even though I had never sung before. Joe and I met that way and kept playing together and then were roommates in Huntress and the old performances were just me and him without a drummer and it was really bad, so we wanted to find a drummer and found this guy (Holahan) and got into it and first took the name Gray Haven,” said Pelchar.

“It started off cringe-worthy,” said Sansone.

“We work really well together and spent so much time together, so we can be honest and helpful to each other,” Holahan said.

Together, the four write their songs by having Sansone and Pelchar write the structure and the basis of the song and then turn it over to the entire group and they all “jam out” to the lyrics that half of them compiled.

“Sometimes we all want to go in different directions with it,” said Holahan.

However, the group agreed that this is the best way to write the song because it has more of a natural flow and it is not just built by one person, which gives them all a say in what gets played and recorded.

Gray Haven has many influences, forming a diverse impact for the sound and allowing each style to play out.

These influences include The Beatles, Green Day, The Cure, Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys, as well as several other 90s alternative and bands.

“What’s cool is that we all have different skill sets too in our instruments. [Sansone] has this crazy bass pedal that creates these funky esthetic noises and [Pelchar] has a muff pedal, so it’s real f—ing grungy. I let (Holahan] have some cymbals, so he has some cool cymbals now and I just play guitar, but I have some production gear in my room too,” St Amour said.

The group usually practices two to three times each week, as their schedule allows, however each member agreed that they put their music first a lot of times.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, the group was able to record their first recording for their new extended play (EP) “Tripping at the Petting Zoo” that they hope to debut soon.

“[The EP] is five songs, pretty simple stuff and hopefully it comes out good and [we] can release it on Bandcamp [and] iTunes. We’ve already done a bunch of research on how to get our music distributed and then we’re going to make CDs and get them out to people,” Sansone said.

While the shows that are played in their home are generally sporadic, they have found that using Facebook events has drawn larger groups of people by sending invites.

One concert attendee and friend, KSC student Melissa Fraser, said, “What I like about watching them perform is just how much passion they have and they always put on such a great and fun show.”

The four agreed that the best part of playing and creating music is the shows where they can rock out with their fellow KSC students and entertain people who enjoy watching and hearing music.

“The fact that we create a positive space so these kids can just come enjoy some awesome tunes and possibly meet friends there… [is] just a fun time altogether,” said St Amour, and the rest of the group agreed.

“Keep an eye out for our mixtape; it’s gonna be the most fire mixtape in Keene, but we are going to post it online on our Facebook page. We are going to get it on TouchTunes so you can use your TouchTunes credits to blast that while [Sansone] is bartending,” Pelchar said.

The group’s next show will be on Feb. 17 for a fundraiser with Beautiful Girls Club and Headwear and Romvnce, benefitting the organization Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com

February is Black History Month, and has long been recognized to celebrate the triumphs of people of color in the United States (U.S.) and their importance in U.S. History.

2017 has been marked a historic year in American History since the inauguration of President Trump.

In a recent address, he noted February as “National African American History Month” and observed and named few important people of color that are important to the progression of the U.S.

According to Mother Jones, he praised Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist who died in 1895, as someone whose work is being “recognized more and more.”

This lack of historical comprehension from the President, creates real consequences.

For example, According to Southern Poverty Law Center, within 10 days of the election, there had been an increase in hate crimes throughout the U.S., 23 percent with 180 incidents recorded of these crimes being anti-black.

“Black History Month is a reminder that we are Americans and our history is important. Black history month is to remind people we matter,” stated Keene State College student Lynne Carrion.

Carrion who is currently studying abroad in the United Kingdom, which provides her with the opportunity to see what has been happening in the U.S. from the outside.

“As much as I want to be there fighting right along with all my friends, my place is here right now. I know that when I come home, I will hit the ground running and probably never stop,”

“Black History Month is so important for not just black people, but the United States as a whole. For example, colleges like Keene don’t even have a class a student can take that specifically teaches black history. American history is not just George Washington and Abe Lincoln. American history includes the government killing Martin Luther King Jr. and the amazing things the Black Panthers did for the black community,” Carrion stated.

For other underrepresented students such as people of color, Black History Month is seen as an important part of teaching and educating people and while some students agree, there is also another aspect of Black History Month. Dottie Morris was contacted an unavailable for comment.

“I believe in equality and I feel as though it just separates our society by the color of our skin. I just think everyone should be recognized for their accomplishments or achievements as far as changing the way our society thinks and works, “ said KSC student Darren DeSena.

“I don’t think Black History Month is necessarily a bad thing because it recognizes a lot of good people and causes regarding the black community,” DeSena said.

February was chosen by Carter G. Woodson for Black History Month because of two important figures in history, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass according to blackpast.org.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Keene State College Kemal Atkins will begin holding office hours reserved for students in hopes that they will be able to raise concerns or thoughts about KSC.

Atkins stated, “I value the relationships I’ve had and continue to have with students, and I see this as another way to broaden the lines of communication. I’m hoping that individual students, small groups, entire student organizations or groups of friends take time to have ‘Konversations with Kemal’.”

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

These hours will begin in early February and will be held in Atkins’ office on the third floor of the Lloyd P. Young Student Center. Students can make appointments by going online.

“I hope that more students will know that I’m a resource and an advocate for their success. Over the 20 plus years that I’ve been working in higher education, I’ve found that by adopting a ‘Students First’ approach, many good things tend follow for the benefit of students and, often times, the entire campus community,” Atkins stated.

Students are encouraged to use this time as they see fit by raising campus concerns and issues that are relevant to the student experience at KSC.

“Meaningful interactions with students are important to me and I care about students and their success, as do the members of my team. The landscape of higher education is changing rapidly and, in many ways, students are leading that change, so it’s important that people in my position know and understand what’s going on with ‘the people (i.e. KSC students) in real-time’. The time is now,” Atkins stated.

More information about “Konversations with Kemal” will be provided prior to the anticipated starting date in early February.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com

Despite the rain, fog and the lack of Roger Goodell at the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the New England Patriots put on a clinic for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady served his four-game suspension earlier this season, but now will be heading to Houston for his seventh Super Bowl appearance, his second in three years, after an easy 36-17 win over Pittsburgh.

This win signified Head Coach Bill Belichick’s seventh Super Bowl appearance, surpassing former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula.

I would be lying if I didn’t say I was a bit nervous about this game and it wasn’t because of the Steelers, it was because this was it; if the Pats lost, no Super Bowl LI, and no Lombardi Trophy.

As usual, the Patriots managed to turn my average Sunday into a holiday. Two of the greatest things about the previous six Super Bowl appearances is the record, 4-2, and the fact that the greatest coach/quarterback duo is taking on the Atlanta Falcons.

First Quarter

The Pats took an early 3-0 lead after kicker Stephen Gostkowski made a 31-yard field goal, breaking Adam Vinatieri’s franchise record of 26 postseason FGs, according to ESPN.

While it is always great to get the first points on the board, there was still a lot of work that needed to be done and I was not going to settle down until I saw three touchdowns. Then came a beautiful touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Chris Hogan, and extra point from Gostkowski and the Pats quickly had a 10-0 lead.

Second Quarter

The next scoring play came from a five-yard rush on the Steelers side and a missed field goal attempt (PAT), tightening up the game 10-6. However, it didn’t take long for the Pats to retaliate  when Brady found Hogan once again for a 34-yard pass making it a 17-6 game.

Kicker Chris Boswell made a 23-yard field goal for the Steelers, but they remained trailing 17-9 at halftime.

Third Quarter

The third quarter started a bit too close for comfort for me, but my nerves were quickly calmed when the Steelers didn’t score a single point in the third quarter.

The Pats racked up 13 points: 47-yard field goal from Gostkowski, 1-yard rush from LeGarrette Blount and a 10-yard pass from Brady to Julian Edelman, with a missed PAT from Gostkowski. The missed field goal wasn’t my favorite way for the Pats to end the third quarter, but that 13-point boost sure boosted my confidence about a Super Bowl appearance.

Fourth Quarter  

The fourth quarter began with another field goal from Gostkowski, racking up a total of 12 points during the game.  The Steelers would go on to score one more touchdown and a two-point conversion, but it wasn’t a big enough fourth quarter rally to get Pittsburgh anywhere near a comeback in what would be their last game of the playoffs.

Wide receiver Chris Hogan has been playing a crucial role in the Pats’ post-season success and there is no doubt in my mind that he will shine bright in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

Tom Brady and his infantry of Patriots proved to their enemy, Roger Goodell, that nothing can stop New England when there is a trophy in sight.  See you in Houston Roger, we’re on to the Super Bowl.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at Mcurtin@kscequinox.com

Whether people are emotional or emotionless about the newly-appointed president, Jan. 20, 2017 marked the day Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States after being elected in Nov. 2016.

For students at Keene State College, the attitudes towards the inauguration were both positive and negative, and for many students, this was the first election that they were able to vote in.

File photo / Jake Coughlin

First-year student Mackenzie Donovan said, “When I voted, I voted independent, but I realized after I voted that I really didn’t feel that way. I feel that I am definitely way more conservative than I originally thought I was and I definitely am pro-Donald Trump.”

During President Trump’s inaugural address, he vowed to the citizens of America that he would work for them and with them to “Make America Great Again,” and supporters and non-supporters watched and listened.

Before the inauguration coverage, Donovan said, “I will be following the inauguration. I would like to see first-hand what happens there because a lot of celebrities and a lot of people are going down there in attempt to protest the inauguration with the whole ‘hashtag not my president’ and I just want to witness first-hand what really happens because the left media news is obviously going to paint it as the left usually does, which is that the violence is incited from the right and that isn’t the case and hasn’t been the case.”

While some students felt positive and strong feelings about the newly-elected President, there were also students who were not as enthusiastic about having the former television personality become their president.

Contributed photo by Ashley Simpson

Senior and president of the on-campus club Feminist Collective Katrina Feraco said, “I will not be watching the inauguration, I do believe that he cares about his ratings and cares about getting a rise because he is an egomaniac and a narcissist, and I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of me tuning on my television or my radio for his inauguration. I will, however, be following up in the evening and the coming days with news organizations like CNN and ABC.”

Feraco took part in the Women’s March protests in the City of Boston on Saturday, Jan. 21, making her voice heard with other members of the Feminist Collective; according to Forbes.com, there were marches in over 600 U.S. cities on the same day.

For some, this election was about policy, civil rights and changing the pace in the White House.

“This election really showed me that I do want these conservative values in the White House in the sense that I want to take down the establishment and this wasn’t an issues or policy vote, it was really just about we need somebody who isn’t a career politician in power,” Donovan said.

There has been much negativity surrounding the election and the inauguration and according to CNN, over 90 people were arrested after protesting near the inauguration site.

For one KSC student, she was able to witness the inauguration and its protests first-hand when she attended the ceremony in Washington D.C.

Contributed photo by Bethany Peterson

Bryanna Pearson stated, “It was amazing, and at first I was pretty afraid to be in that big of a crowd, but security was super tight. My favorite part of the whole trip was during the actual ceremony there was a sense of togetherness, which is what the inauguration should be: a peaceful transfer of power.”

Pearson also stated that “the media kept saying there were so many protests, but there wasn’t at all.There were people with signs, but just walking around and trust me, I walked 13 miles yesterday (Jan. 20). I didn’t see anything like what the media was saying.”

Despite being a Hillary supporter, Katelynn Kaimi said, “I am still nervous to see how Trump handles the presidency and I still don’t feel confident, but to wish him to do a bad job is like putting a hole in the ship that’s already sinking that I’m on. So I do hope that the president does the best that he can and try to help everyone else.”

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com 

Whether students graduate in seven semesters or ten, Keene State College (KSC) allows students to do either.

According to the Keene State College Factbook, compiled by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment from 2015-16, the graduation rate for all first-time, full-time, first-year degree seeking students by cohort in 2010, out of 1,205 students, 53.5 percent of students graduated in four years, while 61.7 percent graduated in five years.

KSC biology major Casey Kimball is currently finishing up her degree in just seven semesters after carefully planning her academic career.

“I met with an advisor the first day I came here and I actually met with her during orientation because I knew I wanted to be a bio major, so I talked to her and she got me set up on the right track and coming into freshman year they usually put you with a ton of ISP classes immediately to get those taken care of,” Kimball said.

Samantha Moore / Art Director

However, sometimes even with planning, staying longer than the standard eight semesters is inevitable, especially when a student transfers from another school.

Athletic training major Taylor Bright transferred to KSC after going to a junior college  in California, where the majority of her family has gone for generations.

A junior college is meant for students to prepare for a four-year college after high school.

“The reason I came in as a sophomore instead of a junior was because the classes that I  was taking at my junior college weren’t necessarily all the classes I had to take here for my major.

They didn’t have the same amount of classes there that they do here, so I was behind on the classes that need to be taken for it,” Bright said.

Bright is among the majority of students that will need five years to finish their degree.

Senior health science, health promotion, and community health major Emmy Roddy took a similar path as Kimball, allowing her to also graduate a semester early.

“I started as a communications major, but it just wasn’t for me so I took the Intro to Health and Wellness class and quickly switched to health science and it was definitely better fitting for me,” Roddy said.

KSC also allows students to take summer classes in order to catch up on courses or speed up the graduation process.

“I always planned to study abroad for a semester and I definitely wanted to do that, it just didn’t work out with working and everything I am involved in so I did a summer semester last summer [in Florence, Italy] and that gave me the extra three credits to push me to be able to graduate early so I just recently decided I was going to graduate early,” Roddy said.

While these three students have taken different paths to get to where they are, they all agree that they are where they want to be.

“It is helpful though because I think I have more time to look at things from [a different] perspective…..Even though I am older, I will have more perspective on what I need to do after I leave and what needs to be done. I get extra time to make sure I am prepared for what is after graduating,” Bright said.

There is never one path in college. Students pursue different things and choose different careers.

“[Graduating early] definitely gives you more time to think about what you want to do because people aren’t bombarding me with questions like, ‘What are you wanting to do?’. I feel comfortable saying: ‘I’m taking the spring semester off to work and stay in Keene and hang out with my friends,’ and then move on from there,” Roddy said.

Mary Curtin can be contacted at mcurtin@kscequinox.com