<p>Feel free. Glad I could help! :)</p>
<p>Ahh…please, is Exeter the debate/lawyer model or is the other way around?? Given Harkness, I’m guessing the former. thanx</p>
<p>The thing with Benley’s description that resonated with me is the use of the word pragmatic to describe Exonians. I think it’s apt. I’m not saying that Andover students aren’t pragmatic, but they strike me as eing more well put together and image conscious, whereas Exonians strike me as being more outcome oriented and “who cares what I look like as long as it works.” I guess you could say that the Andover students seem a bit more “polished” to me, where the Exeter students are a bit more task oriented.</p>
<p>The lawyer/scientist comparison is good. They are both occupations which requires one to argue their points, but the scientist’s arguments have to be tested and backed up with data to be successful. The lawyer only has to be convincing. (No offense to the lawyers out there 
)</p>
<p>It’s a shame these two schools don’t have exchange programs.</p>
<p>Good analysis, neato. 
But that analogy was really subjective and - random, and really doesn’t have any signficance. Let’s forget it and move on.</p>
<p>Yep ummm - Having lawyers in the family and a kid who wants to be one (and hence is immersed in research constantly to study for debate tournaments) I would say both require extensive forensic skills.</p>
<p>Just different personalities. Still - the students have to be at the top of their game to graduate. It’s not easy, but ultimately leaves the students well prepared for college.</p>
<p>What I don’t understand is why Exeter doesn’t have a more robust debate program. Given the harkness approach, you’d think the kids would be prepared in spades yet it seems there isn’t a very active debate program at Exeter.</p>
<p>bumptious.</p>
<p>Can there be a rule that pnumbers not bump older threads, in order to restart old somewhat controversial discussions .
I think 6 in one month maybe too much, just my two cents.</p>
<p>@mhmm: I feel that p43531 has started and contributed to some of the best discussions on this board in recent weeks. As a parent who might get a few of these letters in just a few days now, I was glad to be introduced to this thread via “pnumbers”.</p>
<p>I think asking a participant who is not bumping things in a gratuitous way to refrain opens up a whole host of other eligible cease and desist requests, btw…</p>
<p>One of the more sage members of the forum suggested that parents take the applicant out to dinner on March 9th. The idea is to celebrate the child and his/her efforts, notwithstanding the possibility of March 10th disappointments. In Chariots of Fire, sprinter Harold Abrahams explained before his 100 meter Olympic run that he had 10 seconds to justify his existence. March 10 should certainly not arrive with such a perspective.</p>
<p>@ SevenDad -“bumping things in a gratuitous wa” - then we will have to agree to disagree on each other’s definition of that :)</p>
<p>@7Dad-lol @ “cease and desist requests”. Funny! Great point as similar demands are popping up in other threads.</p>
<p>@kraordawoh: One of my favorite movies, btw. The contrast between Eric and Harold, however fictionalized their characterizations were was great. There are parts of Eric and Harold in us all…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sounds like something from the S-S-A-T!</p>
<p>The dinner idea I find nice, too, especially since we probably all agree that whether or not M10 brings success, it was an awful lot of work by the candidate (and the parents, and the teachers). I also recommend something rather physical alfresco in the afternoon M9, so folks will not be awake all night playing mental ping-pong with their doubts for the 1001st time.</p>
<p>n.b. I have always liked green M&M’s, which I find taste distinctly different from the red or the blue. I vote for green.</p>
<p>pnumbers - I thought it was your new rapper name like p diddy.</p>
<p>Wake up in the morning feelin’ like pnumbers…</p>
<p>“I also recommend something rather physical alfresco in the afternoon…”</p>
<p>Sounds absolutely sublime… Or where you speaking of the children??? (:</p>
<p>@madaket - too funny!</p>
<p>Had to keep this thread going somehow…everyone here seems so tense about next Thursday. We already know, some win, some lose, life goes on.</p>
<p>(A-ha! I see, m&m’s edited the typo in the post after my fans complained)</p>
<p>You are so funny!</p>
<p>Debate is where my daughter thrives. She had put Exeter on the botom of her list. I think if she knew they didn’t have a robust debate program (I’m shocked) it would have knocked them off entirely. I’ll pass it along. She was at a tournament over the weekend. That factoid will make her smile.</p>