On Tuesday, Dec. 16, Haven’s Hi-Q team won a competition for knowing useless facts and boring things.

At least, that’s a common perception of what trivia is. Many people see trivia as trivial. However, such a dismissal of the pursuit misses its value. 

Hi-Q covers many of the same subjects we do at Haven in our classrooms. Competitors will study biology, chemistry and physics; they will examine the annals of history and the workings of our government; and they will immerse themselves in the plays of Shakespeare and the stories of great American authors.

Competitors also learn about the greatest art of history, the finest athletes of our time, the geography of this planet, and the events of the day.

None of these endeavors would be considered misguided or necessarily out of place in our school curriculum. And yet, Hi-Q requires extensive study outside of the classroom for proper preparation.

Why is that?

As a three-year veteran and one of the captains of our national champion Hi-Q team, I attribute this to Hi-Q’s emphasis on facts.

Take the history subjects as an example. There will never be a Hi-Q question interrogating competitors upon the reasons for the space race and our landing on the moon in 1969.

This is because the question is too broad, and the answers too many.

There is no one objective answer to the question. Even if most credible institutions attribute the events to similar factors, they may vary considerably in their weight, diction, or interpretation.

The question is a subjective one, and its answer is not a fact.

This is why we see such a variance between the preparation required for the Hi-Q team and for classes at Haven. For academic classes, we often have an emphasis on understanding the deeper meaning of events or processes, be that in history or chemistry.

But when considering such critical and, at times, subjectively framed issues like the causes of a given event, it is crucial that a well-prepared student first understand the facts around the topic.

A common refrain is that history is “more than names and dates.”

But consider that what “names and dates” often refer to is the facts that make up the fabric of our history. They are critical to understanding what happened – understanding the story of our human existence.

Because if we instruct students upon the causes of an issue without adequately providing them the facts, are we really teaching them so much how to think as opposed to teaching them what to think?

In today’s political climate particularly, to opine or instruct upon issues without understanding of their context is a dangerous exercise. Understanding of the facts is most paramount when it is the facts themselves that are under assault.

The recent years have seen a proliferation of conspiracy theories and misinformation hitherto undreamt of. 

When facts are so scarce, they become more valuable and more important.

And consider also that at a time when distrust in media institutions is at an all-time high, game shows like Hi-Q, the oldest continuous academic quiz competition in America, or the more common Jeopardy! can serve as valuable sources of fact.

In Hi-Q, one cannot argue that the moon landings were fake or that birds are government spies. The answer would be incorrect, and quizmaster Rick Durante would cheerfully request of the contestant to try again.

We are in a time where institutions of knowledge face relentless attack, public schools included. Perhaps the assault on knowledge is connected to the simultaneous rise of public officials spewing conspiracy theories and incorrect information.

In May, Ms. Kristi Noem, our secretary of homeland security, was questioned upon the definition of habeas corpus.

Her response: “Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.”

Suffice it to say, the answer was incorrect. Alas, if only the Hi-Q team faced competitors more like our Secretary of Homeland Security last season. It would have given us more opportunities to steal questions incorrectly answered by our opponents.

But it turns out the students of Delco offered much tougher competition.

“That’s also incorrect,” Mr. Durante would reply. “Strath Haven?”

Each opinion represented in The Panther Press is the view and voice of the writer. Opinions, as the selection and curation of content by the editors, do not represent the views of the entire Panther Press staff, the adviser, the school, or the administration.