Student-run school newspapers take pride in simulating workplace environments that harness leadership and teamwork skills, build student advocacy and administration accountability, and expose young writers to journalism ethics. Deerfield Academy’s newspaper, The Deerfield Scroll, serves to encapsulate these values while encouraging the expression of diverse student perspectives.
The Scroll publishes 900 copies in print monthly and frequently updates its website at deerfieldscroll.com. During election years, the newspaper releases a special election issue highlighting politics and student op-eds.
“When I first joined The Scroll, it was simply to challenge myself as a writer who struggled to tell stories,” said Editor-In-Chief Harry Niles, Class of 2021. “Now, standing here as the editor-in-chief, it is outstanding to experience how much work really goes into it. I have grown to realize that The Scroll is so important because it fosters difficult conversations on campus. … If The Scroll did not exist, I truthfully believe that conversations about politics, campus-wide events, the good versus the bad in the administration’s decisions would not be happening.”
The Deerfield Scroll began in April 1921, when Deerfield students wanted to create a newspaper for reporting on campus life. For five years, The Scroll was barely significant to the student body as it was under The Pocumtuck, the only literary publication the academy endorsed.
However, in October 1926, The Pocumtuck board decided that the subpar execution of the student newspaper did not embody the ideals of Deerfield Academy, nor did it effectively report on its affairs. Ultimately, the board decided to split into two publications.
In 1926, The Scroll was officially initiated as a small four-page journal. Many of the older editions of The Scroll focused on sports reporting and welcome features for new masters, as per tradition. As years passed, new board positions were opened, faculty advisors switched out, and the student newspaper flourished even more, receiving extra funding from ads and the academy. The Scroll also garnered awards.
During World War II, paper shortage and drafting of printers did not hinder the newspaper’s upward trajectory as it reached its all-time high of 6,000 papers in circulation for every issue. By 1950, The Scroll had expanded into a full-fledged eight-page newspaper, printing 15 times a year.
Currently, The Scroll is organized under seven sections: opinions and editorials, news, features, arts and entertainment, sports, buzz, and specials. Each section is led by individual head editors alongside photography and graphics editors. The editor-in-chief, managing editor and digital managing editor work closely with all sections, plus the associate and copy editors. Mainly student-based, the staff is guided by two faculty advisors, English teacher Julie Schloat and language teacher Geoffrey Moseley.
“(The Scroll) should be a paper that is for the community and is used as an opportunity to be in conversation with the community,” Schloat said. “I would like the present and future boards to recognize the influence that they can have on the administration and on policy change through their voice as an editorial board, because they represent a broad cross-section of students.”
As a way to bring together the staff writers and board, one main meeting is held per month for writers to propose ideas and receive assignments in their respective sections. This year, The Scroll has resorted to carrying out the meetings via Zoom.
Once articles are complete and edited, the board moves to copy editing and laying out pages using Adobe InDesign. Soon, finalized pages are sent to printers and delivered to the academy. Scroll members then circulate newspapers to student dorms, the dining hall lobby, and entryways or exits in academic buildings.
This year, The Scroll was introduced as a co-curricular alternative for students interested in journalism who want to experience the workings of a newspaper, including writing, layout, design, interviewing, and training for future roles on the editorial board.
Additionally, Schloat and Moseley created a speaker series by scheduling Zoom meetings with Deerfield Academy alumni working in journalism.
So far, The Scroll’s staff members have listened to inspiring stories from: Kevin Chen, Joshua Fang and Orlee Marini-Rapoport, former editors-in-chief at The Scroll and current staff members of The Harvard Crimson; Meridith McGraw, a White House reporter for Politico; and Mujib Mashal, a New York Times senior correspondent for Afghanistan and South Asia. In coming weeks, students will also hear from Ty McCormick, an editor at Foreign Affairs magazine, and Jay Newton-Small, a former writer for Time and Bloomberg News.
The Scroll served as a voice for Deerfield Academy students across decades of tumultuous times — from World War II, 9/11, and the 2008 recession to racial justice movements, the COVID-19 pandemic, elections and much more. Guided by the National Scholastic Press Association’s Model Code of Ethics’ seven core principles — “Be responsible, be fair, be honest, be accurate, be independent, minimize harm, and be accountable” — The Scroll strives to exhibit the academy’s values and heritage.
Neha B. Jampala is a sophomore at Deerfield Academy. She writes for the school newspaper, The Scroll; is the head writer for Company Roots, an online entrepreneurial blog; and also explored publishing a novel outside of school. As an intern for the Greenfield Recorder, she hopes to grow her skills in journalism and delve deeper into her passion for writing by sharing stories while also contributing to the community.