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The Waynflete Wire |
Pi-Day Celebration Announced for 3-14-15
I don’t remember the first time we celebrated “Pi Day” in one of my Geometry or PreCalculus classes. But it has been a long time. The Greek letter “Pi” – used to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle divided by the length of its diameter – is approximated 3.1415926…., making 3/14 the right date for the celebration. A full generation of Waynflete Alumni likely remember class interruptions, whether they were the interrupters or interruptees (or both), as math classes wandered the halls during class periods on March 14, “caroling.” Usually met with good-nature but mild perturbation by Upper and Middle School teaching colleagues, the carolers always seemed to have fun, before repairing to their classrooms to dine on a smorgasbord of pies.
It was at least a dozen years ago that I sat down and figured out that 3/14/15 – a super representative date – would fall on a Saturday. So, I named it ‘Uber Pi Day’ and started inviting all my carolers to come back for an alumni event that day. With all those invitations having been delivered over the years, it really IS going to happen.
Now that Sue Stein and other fans of “Punxsutawney Phil” have had their chance to celebrate “Groundhog Day” – unfortunately curtailed this year by a snow day – the Math Department and Alumni Office are putting together an Alumni “Pie Bash” on Saturday, March 14th, 2:30 – 4:30 pm in Sills Hall. Activities will include a digits of Pi memorization competition, Pi poetry writing and presentations, and, of course, caroling and pie eating!
The first pie will be cut at 3:14 pm. Ideally we would do this at 9:26 in the morning, but some people don’t like pie for breakfast and since we want young alumni and their families to come, we thought the afternoon might be more conducive. Current students and families, as well as alumni, are invited. While everyone is encouraged to bring a pie of some kind to share, be forewarned that many local grocery stores sell out of pie early on the 14th every year.
We hope to see you in Sills Hall on the 14th at 2:30 or shortly thereafter. “It will be fun,” chuckled David Neilan, “this sort of gives a different meaning to ‘be there or be square.’”
