SCIL

Love, peace and competition

Museum at Bethel Woods inspires SCIL’s reflective oral, artistic and musical expression about troubled eras past and present

By RICHARD A. ROSS

BETHEL, NY — “By the time we got to Woodstock we were half a million strong,” wrote singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell about the cultural event that came to define a generation.

For those who still carry the memories of Woodstock and the turbulent yet vibrant days of the ‘60s, the Museum at Bethel Woods is a trip back to a time when people came together to effect positive change during some of America’s darkest days.

Not just a vibrant reminder of the past, the facility raises issues how the current generation will handle dangers and upheaval even more daunting than those faced by their flower-toting, song-singing, protest rallying predecessors.

Monticello English teacher and Sullivan County Interacademic League (SCIL) adviser Peter Weinman hoped the museum would unleash the unbridled creativity and insightful thinking of SCIL teams from the county’s seven school districts. With the collaboration of museum education director Margaret Hughes and production coordinator Jeff Weinstein, SCIL advisers challenged students to employ the museum as a living reference to make a thoughtful connection between two eras beset by unrest.

After being welcomed by Hughes in the gorgeous Events Gallery, the students ogled pictures from the famous music festival, watched performances from the concert, pondered historical exhibits and used a variety of senses to learn more about the counterculture.

Members from each team answered Scholar Bowl questions relating to Woodstock and the history of the decade. Some penned essays defining the museum’s value with regard to what lessons could be learned from the 1960s. Others created a banner and a manifesto to reflect lessons learned from the 1960s that affect people today.

Group presentations were scheduled for the Terrace Stage, but inclement weather relegated performances the Events Gallery instead. Wet weather never stymied those at Woodstock, nor did it hamper the enthusiastic Frisbee competitors, who vied for great accuracy, long distance and trick supremacy.

In their musical performances, teams offered songs with original lyrics and music in the style of one of the Woodstock performers. Judges assessed song quality and the extent to which their pieces captured the style of the original performers.

See below for details and results of the first round.

Visit riverreportersports.com for more details and an album of photos. Click on “More Sports.”

SCIL results round one

1. Tri-Valley 200 (came in first in four of five tasks. the Bears are the defending SCIL champions).

Whirlwind tour of the competition

Roscoe’s banner, put together by Paige Clancy, Molly Krivit and Nicki Ackerley, declared, “Make Love Not War.” A manifesto called for unity and stressed the coming election issues of jobs, health care, deficit spending and global warming.

Their Rock Band performance was a composite of bands of the eras. They sang, “Gotta have love, peace and harmony.”

Liberty’s banner declared “Unity=Peace.” In her stirring speech, Jenny Stolow said, “We are the children of the 21st century looking to the past to fix the current problems. America’s unity is gone.” Stephen Webber sang in the style of Joan Baez.

Livingston Manor stressed the theme of love. “We need to learn from the mistakes of the past,” they implored. In the style of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Beth Hoffman Patalona sang, “What are we fighting for?”

Tri-Valley’s banner, designed by Krista DeVore, Kelly McNamara and Ellen Williams, displayed the Woodstock bus on the road to peace. “We are the youth, the next generation,” they declared as they sought to portray the great cost of war on America.

John Bernstein played his guitar and Matt Bogorad sang in the style of Arlo Guthrie. “There’s a road we both know cause we’ve been on it before… What are we fighting for?”

Monticello’s two teams displayed a pair of banners. The first, held by Katie Oldfield and Tyler Wuerthner, asked “Is This Our Reality?” The other quoted Martin Luther King: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools.” The Monties’ manifesto:

“I beseech you to fight for the things you

believe in.”

Joshua Oates sang in the style of Janice Joplin. “Yeah Veronica will you run away with me? Our love forever let us both be free.” The other music group deployed the style of Santana.

Sullivan West’s banner was designed by Megan Murphy and Rebecca Molinaro to question authority. “We Want a Revolution,” it declared as its two halves showed the contrasting possibilities of either a positive or negative future.

Hannah Rettoun and April Scardino chose Melanie as their inspiration. “I can see the colors becoming one…help us, help them, we can’t live this way,” they sang.

Fallsburg’s banner noted, “You Say You Want a Revolution.” Its manifesto hearkened to 9/11. “We’ve become the world’s police. Make bread not bombs,” said their poster. Andrea Zalkin sang in the style of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. “Mama, join together with the people,” she crooned.

Eldred’s banner declared, “Let There be Peace,” averring that the love of power must be overcome by the power of love.” Attention was paid to global warming and thinking about tomorrow. In the style of Simon and Garfunkel, they sang “Lay down and feel the rain that washes away the past.”