A LETTER

Dear Pastor W, Mr. V, Mr. W and readers of "The Age",

It is out of the sincerest respect and deepest appreciation of Milton Hershey School, having provided me with both academic and social education which I could not have received at home, that I am discontinuing my "The Age" e-mails. 

Earlier today I received the following message from Pastor W in response to one of my "The Age" e-mails:

"Laura - You will stop this inappropriate use of your e-mail privilege right now.  You are free to believe whatever you want about God, prayer, and all spiritual things, and, when your not on the MHS campus, you can practice your belief system any way you would like.  But on our campus, belief in the reality of God will be taught and faith in God will be encouraged.  If you choose to continue to abuse your e-mail privilege by promoting what is diametrically opposed to the beliefs of the school, your e-mail will be taken away from you.  If you want to talk privately about your beliefs, let me know!"

The purpose of these e-mails – as the recipients were well aware - was to explore Bible verses and other religious themed materials.  With the disbandment of the high school philosophy club "Truth Seekers", I wanted to create an opportunity for my friends to explore both their personal views and alternative ideas with each other. The students involved come from various faiths and each has a different religious history.

I used e-mail because it was the easiest and most direct form of communication for busy students.

Even the most faithful Christian teenager (as responses to my "The Age" e-mails have proven) will have questions and concerns about their own faith. These could lead their thoughts toward another system of beliefs or even Atheism (the belief that god does not exist). Should these questioning students be shunned? Isolated? Out rightly ignored? Should these students be denied the opportunity for unbiased discussion/debate on the subject with their peers?

Many times, I have found that my comments – should another person find them faulty – have done nothing but strengthen their resolve in their own faith.  I highly doubt that the goal of MHS is to lead students to faith through uneducated blindness and fear. The views of the school and my own may be polar opposites, but I am confident that the intentions of both are of the purest quality. Despite the undeniable reality that MHS solely supports Christian beliefs, I still hope to create a peaceful awareness of alternative views – even those that I do not share. Simply, we are each passionate about what we feel is right, and we take the responsibility of communicating that truth personally.

The greatest asset a school can bestow upon its students is the opportunity to develop a true sense of self. All the memorized math equations in the world cannot compare with the confidence and success that comes with knowing who you are, what you stand for, and why.  The consequences of silencing these students will be far more devastating than exposing them to what is a "diametrically opposed" belief.

With Respect, Integrity, and a Positive Spirit,

Laura L. Gamari

Studenthome: Clearview

Know Where You Stand

Religion at Milton Hershey School
An Editorial by Laura L. Gamari


“Last year, I told some girls in my student home what I believed in. They forced me into the living room and were trying to explain to me why I should believe what they believe (Christianity). They literally called my religion “stupid” and turned my serious beliefs into a joke.”
– S, Wiccan

“The school doesn’t really seem to care about other people’s faith. The school will not provide transportation to Jewish students for Temple so that they can expand their religious faith. The school only serves to the Christian community. I feel that, for our student body, diversity of faith is important.” –J, Christian

“My old Houseparents made me place a Bible on my headboard, so I placed a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I received 10 days of detention. They made me take down song lyrics I had on my tack-board (Don McLean’s “American Pie”, where the lyrics went: “No angel born in Hell/could break that Satan’s spell”). So I put up a lyric from Slayer's "Jesus Saves" (" For all respect you cannot lust/in an invisible man you place your trust"). I received 20 days of detention. I received 3 hours of chores for objecting to Pastor Mike’s explanation of Euthanasia as “killing someone you don’t think should live anymore.” Most recently, I confronted the school about starting a Gay/Straight Alliance – which is common in schools across America – but was denied even consideration based on the Judeo-Christian values of the school. So, do I feel there is religious intolerance at MHS? Yeah, you could say that.”
- Anonymous, Atheist
–
Is Milton Hershey School intolerant, and even oppressive, when it comes to matters of religion? Whenever the topic of faith is allowed to be broached, the situation can easily transform from a discussion into a riot. The purpose of this editorial is to explore, from the perspective of various members of the MHS community, the issue of religion for Senior Hall students.

While Christianity is, by far, the most common standing on religion at Milton Hershey School, it is not the only one. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Jainists, Wiccans, and Atheists walk the halls and vacuum the service porch along with everybody else. Yet at MHS, any inquiry about recognizing beliefs, other than Christianity, is usually answered by Houseparents and Administration alike with: “Milton and Catherine Hershey were Christians, and so our school is established on their faith.”

While students may cringe about this: the adults are right. (Kind of.)

The Hershey Archives (www.hersheyarchives.org) explains, “Both the Hershey and Snavely families were originally Mennonite.” However, “though Milton's mother was a staunch member of the Reformed Mennonite Church…formal religion was never a part of Milton Hershey's life. When he was asked once what his religion was, he is said to have replied, "The Golden Rule." The Golden Rule, of course, is “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” So important was this rule to Milton Hershey, that is hangs in every student home on campus. Religious Tolerance.org (www.religioustolerance.org) lists 21 world religions that have a version of The Golden Rule in their faith.

With that in mind, did Milton Hershey want his school to teach one religion, or the tolerance of other’s choices? An answer may be found, written in Hershey’s own words, in the very document that established MHS - the Deed of Trust. Article 17 of the Deed of Trust, which is on the MHS Intranet (http://intranet.apps.mhs-pa.org), states:

“The School shall be non-sectarian, but the moral and religious training of the scholars shall be properly looked after and cared for by the Managers. No favoritism shall be shown; by the Managers to any particular sect or creed. Each scholar shall be taught to speak the truth at all times, and each and every scholar shall be thoroughly trained to habits of economy, and industry.”

But, what is non-sectarian? A literal definition from Merriam Webster Dictionary defines non-sectarian as: “Not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group.” So, shouldn’t that mean that students are free to practice or believe anything they are inclined to? According to the “Statement of Religion,” policy 5.04, (this can be found by searching the word “Religion” on the MHS Intranet) the answer is “No”. The Policy states that:

“It is our interpretation that "nonsectarian", within the context of 1909 and the writing of the Trust and, in keeping with our heritage, we will not permit exclusion of students of other denominations, sects, or creeds. It is a right in the United States to hold to a particular belief system, according to the U.S. Constitution. The same is true at Deed of Trust, means to be "non-denominational" within the Judeo-Christian heritage.”

The school has, indeed, made attempts to accommodate more worldly views in our community. Students are not screened for their religious affiliation upon enrollment and there have not been any reported cases of a student being terminated based on their religious affiliation. Judeo-Christian does not mean “Christianity”, but actually having historical roots in both Judaism and Christianity. In fact, Policy 5.04 continues to declare:

“We also believe that it is essential to demonstrate respect for others' beliefs and traditions as stated in the Deed Milton Hershey School, as long as that belief system does not cause physical or emotional harm to the student or others. Therefore, to the extent that we are reasonably able, we will continue to be supportive of the religious needs of all students.”

The issue is not truly that Milton Hershey School is intolerant of non-Christian beliefs, but that there is little follow-through or support for more open-minded and tolerant action. Under the L- Administration, the school attempted to be more ecumenical. Chaplin S would quote from the Torah and Koran along with the Bible in Chapel, as well as touch on Hindu prayers and Buddhist rituals (In 2003, Chaplin S left and was replaced by Pastor W). The effort to have the Torah and the Koran next to the Bible in student homes has been made, though seldom enforced by Houseparents.

 A World Religions class is available for the 10th and 12th grades. Yet, students have reviewed this class as “highly biased” and “a class where you’ll learn the name of a religion, why it’s wrong, and how to convert its followers to Christianity.” C expressed, “Even though my religion, Jehovah’s Witness, is under the Christian umbrella – my beliefs were still discriminated against and joked about in the class.” S said, “I have not yet attended World Religions class, but I’ve been informed that it is a stereotypical representation of each religion and is extremely demeaning to other religions except Christianity.”

As the opening statements to this editorial suggest, discrete, scarring and tragically unnecessary forms of intolerance and “intervention” occur behind closed doors. An anonymous student recalled, “I’ve been in student homes where the Houseparents encouraged the others to talk to me about God. I kind of believed in God at the time, but Christianity just seemed twisted to me. Well, they would start reading Bible passages out loud whenever I was in the room, or tell me they would pray for me, or that I was going to hell. I felt pressured to conform and the Houseparents demanded that I bow my head and close my eyes whenever we prayed. I tried very hard to appease them and at least be respectful, but I never received that respect back from them. It’s a mind game, really, but no one really understands or cares until it happens to them. The worst of it is - this was only 5th grade. Why is that okay?”

Whether the school is right or wrong about their stance on religion, it’s not up to us to decide. All we, as students, can do is stick to our own personal beliefs and practice tolerance with everybody else. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – The Golden Rule – it is at the heart of tolerance.



Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven

2023 : See :

https://www.mhskids.org/about/history/

DEED OF TRUST

One Day Writer

Fiona was stuck, paralyzed in a state of utter bewilderment. A moment before she had been so eager, so ready. She was going to write, and write, and write. “Until her arms were numb, until her shoulders had ached”, she thought. But now there was nothing, her brain felt empty – unfocused. How was she ever going to become a writer if whenever she prepared herself to write nothing came? How was she going to entertain the world, confess her life to them; communicate with them? Slowly, she put down her fuzzy blue pen and gave a long, air-filled sign. Gazing silently she observed her, at first glance, cluttered and pell-nell desk. Then, as though they had been compacted into a solid ball at the base of her head, memories began to melt and course through her brain very slowly.
The picture frames filled with Colgate smiles, the old while dandelion paperweight that had once been her gram’s, petals from old roses (her favorite flower, if only they came in purple) strewn here and there. Again, she sighed. She had been so depressed lately, so lonely – these objects made her smile with pride and warmth. Then, among the small trinkets and dust, her eyes fell upon her most prized possessions. The books were very old but extremely beautiful in her pale eyes.
Then, out of nowhere, it happened. A force so powerful it practically knocked her senseless had, once again, taken her. Stories, long complicated stories about a thousand things flooded her mind. Her imagination ran wild. She had to write it down NOW. For the second time that night she picked up the blue, fuzzy pen and positioned it over the lined notebook paper. But again she paused – how was she going to begin? By the time she’d sort out the proper beginning the tale had lost its luster. Like the other uncountable sheets of paper from before, she crumpled it all into a ball and shot for the trash can, just missing by a few inches – it was hopeless.

Where the hell was it? A pen, any pen – she needed a pen. In a matter of moments her neat, tidy room had become something reminiscent of her best friend Fiona, but unlike her very messy friend forever she, Eliza, would just clean up later. She pulled out drawers and disheveled papers. When she still couldn’t find a pen she headed straight for Teresa, her roomate’s side. Teresa wouldn’t mind, she never did.
Eliza opened the top drawer. Her searching stare fell upon, not what she had been looking for, but at that moment, something better. Quietly she opened the bag, broke off a piece of chocolate, and almost piggishly stuffed it into her mouth. She just stood there for a moment, allowing it to dissolve. How was it that everything was so much better when you weren’t supposed to have it? Carefully she folded the bag and stuffed it into the far back of the desk. A process her friend had forgotten in haste – which brought Eliza back to her search for a pen.
Nevertheless, she could not find one. Slightly frustrated, she sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands. The next moment she wanted to repeatedly smack her head against the wall – there was a pen, right there, on the floor. In fact she had been playing with that same pen when all this had started. Duh.
It was pink, small, and had four different colors of ink. It belonged to a friendly of hers, Patrichia, who had accidentally left it there a few days before.
The radio brought her back to what she had wanted to do in the very beginning.
*drawing of a boat and the wind shaped like an eye*
Eliza liked to illustrate songs. This was just a rough sketch; it would make a great painting one day. Too bad everything for her was answered in those two words – one day.

Still More Ugly Cover Poems

Unknown

Unknown, what does this mean?
Forgotten past, no one wants to
listen.
A foggy future, no one pays
attention.
A dismal present, who are you?
Who do you know - someone - who is
an unknown?
No one?
Well you better go find one.
A past, present, a future could
depend on you.

~

Support, not wings

I cannot let go of
my surroundings, life
will not change for me.
These things that bind me,
fast and heavy, are my
support, not wings.
I dream of being free,
I cannot explain my emotions
for they run too deep,
But all I ask for is the chance
to go and stretch my wings

~

Like Sugar in Water

She knew
she was
unwanted she
knew she was
not sane and she
knew that by taking
one extra pill a day
would let her slip away

She had no friends, no neighbors
no parents who would care
no one who would notice
if she simply was not there

All she could lose
was the torment of
living life this way

She gradually dissolved
like sugar in water
and just as she
suspected, no one
made a glance
toward
her.

~

Life is what looks you dead in the eyes and tells you to move on

~
Up There

She could have been a grandmother
She should have been his bride
She would have been a writer
with an artist's drive
She was to be a member
of Oxford's most elite
Her body draped in cap and gown
her smile was bitter-sweet
She was to win first prize;
a poem incomplete
But destiny has a way
of changing without care
and this sparkling beauty
only shines up there

Another Ugly Cover Poem

Paints a picture on the wall
Writes a story true
Plays a melody of love
Turns black to baby blue

These are the works of
the plain and simple soul
who sits in front of you.

Poem in a Book with an Ugly Cover

Life for her's a struggle,
a shadow with no light
to cast away the sorrows
that haunt her in the night

She can't quite explain
the torment she feels
but she knows the world
keeps spinning, even as she

kneels. Begging for forgiveness
from a source she cannot
find, she is in a world
of color, yet she is

blind.

Happiness springs through
her, a flower from the
ground, but when chill
comes closer, it is she
who cannot be found.

She'll be there till the
end, she says, forever
she shall be, only to
disappear as the first
leaf falling from the tree.

An illusion to
the eyes that always
find her gaze
She is gone within
a second, only to
return when in need
of what you crave.

He is perfect, a hero
held in high esteem
but when the curtain
closes, no longer is he
a dream

From his smile to
his wits, a flaw
will not be found
but when the lights
go out at night, he wants
his body to be found

No one understands
him, yet he has
many friends, no one
suspects that he wants
something else

I trusted you, friend
I trusted you, when
you held me in your
arms, kept me from harm
I trusted you

When my candle was
snuffed out, you lit
it again
I trusted you

You helped me see,
when i was blind,
lifted me up, when I
was broken
I trusted you

Even when everything
was fine, you stayed by
my side
I trusted you, friend

But now you are gone
and so am I.