Horace Mann - Spring 2017 - 27

Prof. Gary Benenson '64 met with his former HM teacher Dr. Bob Moses during Dr. Moses' visit
to Horace Mann School.

has the right and need to achieve a quality education to succeed and exercise full citizenship in today's increasingly technology-based world. Dr.
Moses describes the program in detail in his memoir Radical Equations,
Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project.
So deeply valued a teacher was Dr. Moses during his HM years that,
in 2015, HM alumni from the Class of 1964 established the Robert Moses
Prize in his honor. This gift of the Class of 1964 is now awarded annually
to a graduating Horace Mann School student with a passion for social
justice, to provide the recipient with funds to pursue a social justice
cause. As Dr. Kelly wrote in a letter to Class of 1964 members announcing
the initiative, the goals of the award are "to focus the entire student body
on Bob's story and the tremendous impact that a passion for social justice
can have, and the meaning it can give one's life." The first-ever Robert
Moses Prize was awarded at Class Day 2016 to Stephanie Fernandez '16. $
Pictures from Dr. Moses' February 2017 visit to HM can be found at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/
72157678727776510

photo by Jasmin Ortiz

rable teaching style was evident throughout his 2017 visit. Dr. Moses, 82,
arrived at HM for "A Period" at 8:25 a.m., for a discussion with students
in the Comparative Race and Ethnicity class taught by UD history teachers Barry Bienstock and Dr. Emily Straus '91. Immediately after, from
9:15 to 10:00 a.m., the Civil Rights legend met with Bienstock's AP U.S.
history class. He then headed to the assembly, where he participated
in a thoughtful question and answer session with students. Dr. Moses'
lunch break included conversation with HM Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly
and teachers from the UD History and Math Departments. The former
teacher then went directly to UD History Department Chair Dr. Daniel
Link's AP U.S. History class.
During his visits to the classes Dr. Moses first went around the room
asking the students to identify themselves, wrote their names on a
makeshift seating chart, and focused his deep gaze on each one as he
challenged them to think deeply about history. Citing dozens of dates,
court cases and executive orders Dr. Moses asked the students to see
these within the context of the cultural conditions of their times, and the
ensuing effect of each historical event. Dr. Moses' methodical approach
toward guiding the students to connect these historical links was illuminating to observe.
The Civil Rights activist's focus on applying his intellectual interests
to his social justice aspirations were recognized, formally, in 1982 when
he was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellows Program "genius"
grant. The prestigious grant enabled him to create The Algebra Project,
a national, nonprofit organization committed to increasing mathematical fluency and literacy through mastery of algebra as an entry point to
higher mathematics and analytical thinking, and to ensure quality public
school education for every child in America. The Algebra Project, now in
hundreds of middle schools nationwide, began with Dr. Moses himself
helping teach his daughter's eighth-grade class. Dr. Moses explained at
the assembly that The Algebra Project is essential more than ever as
the U.S. continues to provide only "a sharecropper's education" to the
lowest economic quadrant of society, despite the fact that every child

photo by Jasmin Ortiz

News of the School

HM's Girls Varsity Basketball
team earned the trophy at
the 56th annual Buzzell game
against Riverdale, with a
score of 42-31. The Boys'
team ended with a 57-47
loss despite true basketball
intelligence demonstrated
by Robert Mantz '20 and
Kelvin Smith '20 and their
teammates. With these
two freshmen and the rest
of HM's young team Boys'
Varsity Basketball promises
to offer excitement in the
coming years. The Girls'
team ended its season with
six wins and six losses. In
fall sports HM's Girls Varsity
Soccer (11-1 record) and
Tennis (6-0) captured Ivy
League championships. For
results and standings for
all HM varsity and Junior
Varsity teams visit https://
sites.google.com/site/
ivyleagueathletics/. For
more pictures of the Boys
and Girls Buzzell games go
to https://www.flickr.com/
photos/141038450@N03/
albums/72157678863163211.

Horace Mann Magazine Spring 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/72157678727776510 https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/72157678727776510 http://sites.google.com/site/ivyleagueathletics/ http://sites.google.com/site/ivyleagueathletics/ http://sites.google.com/site/ivyleagueathletics/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/72157678863163211 https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/72157678863163211 https://www.flickr.com/photos/141038450@N03/albums/72157678863163211

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Horace Mann - Spring 2017