School Newspaper Continues Growth
More Stumps?
What might sound like the worst possible nightmare for a Christ School boy is instead an exciting development for the school newspaper.
The Stump hopes to publish five to six times his school year. That is up from three issues in 2017-18 and a single issue in 2016-17, when the paper was first revived after six years of dormancy.
"We're almost doubling production," faculty advisor Mary Dillon said.
"I'm really excited about this. The boys have an idea of what a journalist is, but it might not always be the reality of what a journalist is. They've seen a lot of movies. This is introducing many of them to a brand new way of writing, and we throw them in the deep end. Some of them take to it like that, and some of them need guidance. It is very much learning by doing."
Dillon's classroom in Wetmore Hall serves as the newsroom for The Stump. Every one of the upcoming issue's 12 pages are meticulously planned out on a white board. And each staff member has played a role in getting Issue #1 out shortly after the Greenies return from Fall Break.
Inside those pages, there will be recurring features such as the "Kirk Kronicles" – a year-long series about Father Kirk Brown's final year at Christ School. Lead writer Will McNichols '19 will tackle topical issues. Cartoonist Jack Adams '20 is going to be responsible for the "Caption This" drawing. The best submission to the contest will win a prize. Outside of the print version, Zack Grella '19 and Jay Kelligrew '19 are spearheading the effort to produce Stump podcasts.
The Stump staff is the largest it has been the past three years with 14 boys.
"We encouraging the seniors on the staff to be mentors," Dillon said. "We want them to pick out a prodigee who will take over for them."
The Stump's predecessor, The Galax Leaf, ceased production in 2010. Editor Coles Manning '19 was the one who came up with the idea to bring back a school newspaper, and is heading up the staff for a third straight year. "The Stump" name was of course inspired by the Christ School tradition of having a boy dig out a tree stump when he violates a major school rule.
