Quaker

I was privileged to hear the Haverford College freshman class receive instructions on the Honor Code at the college. Simply put, the Honor Code is a pledge every incoming freshman signs. It has two components: academic and social. On the academic side, the student affirms not to cheat or plagiarize in any way, and to report any instance of cheating s/he witnesses. On the social side, the student agrees to a series of codes of conduct around interpersonal behavior and communal living. Packed into my sweltering meeting room, the freshman heard a series of speakers refer to the honor code as a "gift". They also came to understand that it was not an easy row to hoe, that temptations were plentiful and that everyone makes mistakes. I was astonished to learn that enforcement of the Honor Code is the student body's responsibility - as opposed to faculty and administration - as are judgments of those who break it.

What struck me as wonderful about what the college is doing is that it assumes goodness, but takes enforcement seriously. And I wondered - does my monthly meeting have an honor code? If so, how is it enforced? We assume goodness too - but what happens when Friends reveal themselves as the frail and imperfect creatures we are? How are we accountable to each other? One of the most moving speakers was a senior, who recalled of hearing of a student who had cheated on a take-home exam. He said he felt two things: pity for the pain the student must be in, and a deep sense of personal betrayal. I long for a spiritual community so closely knit together, that one Friend's transgression is my own as well, and so it must be my responsibility to mend it.

Dear Readers,

I have recently archived many entries from fall '05 through fall '06 which were orginally part of a journal I was keeping. They cover, among other things: my work on the following plays, Jason and The Golden Fleece, The Crucible and The Imaginary Invalid; reflections on the workshop I created called "Revival: Meetings for Theatre"; various pedagogical concerns related to teaching acting; the life of the "citizen actor"; my journey in recovery; thoughts about popular culture and various accounts of my Quaker and family experieinces.

I have expanded the categories to reflect these additions. These new posts can be accessed through the "older" tab in the "archives" section to the right.