Editor’ s Note
the journal of literature and the arts at saint david’ s school
Editor’ s Note
“ He wanted something that had to be earned, something that he had to seize, something where he would risk it all just for the hope of achievement.”— Line from a Sixth Grade boy’ s short story
What does it mean to excel? This critical question featured prominently in Dr. O’ Halloran’ s launch of the 2025-2026 school year and in a number of chapel talks thereafter. During classes, on the athletic field, and at home, boys considered how to interpret and reach for excellence at Saint David’ s. Amid celebrations of our 75th Anniversary and our beloved Mr. Ryan’ s unforgettable career, there was no shortage of reference points. We were all surrounded by inspiration and illustrations for how to excel.
Something I love about the Obelisk is that it not only demonstrates how students attend to such models of excellence, but also serves as a vehicle for inspiration from boys themselves. With each new publication, students get to share and see excellent literature and art of their own making. Perusing these pages is more than an exercise in admiration; it allows us to peer into boys’ minds and hearts, to see how they interpret, imagine, internalize, and express their own experiences of the world. And the revelations in their work can be startling and profound.
One sixth grader’ s original short story, quoted above, depicts an introspective protagonist languishing in a society that overpromotes material success and satisfaction, luring people to fixate on their wants and supposed needs but leaving them feeling empty. Will he give up his search for something more? Not if he comes to realize, as Saint David’ s boys do, that excellence is a matter of striving— working toward a meaningful goal. It is about the process