November 1982

Penn Post Mt. Penn Jr./Sr. High School 25th and Filbert Sts. - Mt. Penn, Pa. 19606		VOLUME 26 EDITION 2 NOVEMBER 1982 Are SATs Valid? The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a three-hour, timed, paper and pencil, group administered, objective test taken by college-bound students. Many question if the SATs are valid enough to have the power to stamp students �qualified� or �unqualified� for college. Numerous studies show that the test scores have a limited relationship to success in school, and no demonstrable relationship to success in later life. SAT scores do not relate to a student's accomplishments in social leadership, the arts, science, music, writing, speech and drama. Many argue that the test penalizes students who have complex or creative styles of thought. Also the Federal Trade Commission has found that coaching does raise scores. Minorities feel that the SATs are culturally biased and the tests bar them from higher education. Why are the tests being used? One reason is that the SAT is a national standard for comparing students since all schools have different grading systems. Also because of grade inflation the SATs are a better predictor for a student�s performance in college. The college admission offices look for a well-balanced student with good grades, social leadership, extra-curricular activities, good recommendations, and high SAT scores. It can be shown however, that if other factors are equal, the college chooses the student with the higher SAT score. - Pat Horning
Message from the Principal: �A Strong Nation Needs Strong Schools,� the theme of American Education Week (Nov. 14-20), has never been as evident as it is in today�s highly industrialiied Society. Industry in America is undergoing a major transformation - a transformation that may be as far-reaching in its inpact as the earlier shift from a rural society to one industrial in nature. But will high school graduates be ready to take their places in the technically oriented society that is in fact already upon us? Predictions indicate that by 1990, more than half of the labor force will be employed in technical and white-collar fields. It is our responsibility as educators to develop the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and decision making that will be able to succeed in our highly technological society. It is your responsibility to put forth the effort needed to master those skills so that you can succeed in the achievement of your goals. Together we can create a strong school which will eventually result in a strong nation. The concept of a strong nation developed through strong schools has long been cherished by some of our most revered leaders. Perhaps the best way to conclude would be to quote two of those men who led our nation through the most critical of times. I view education as the most important subject we as a people can be engaged in. -- Abraham Lincoln What our schools do may prove in the long run to be more decisive than any other factor in preserving the form of government we cherish. � Franklin D. Roosevelt	American Education Week, Nov. 14-20 Another nearly famous national holiday is upon us again and I bet only a few of you knew. No, I am not talking about Thanksgiving. I am talking about that time-honored event that all of us know and love so well, American Education Week. Some of you are asking yourselves, �Have we ever celebrated American Education Week before?� or �What is American Education Week?� Well, it is six days of putting emphasis on learning, how to make education better, and basic improvements in our school. We have to be reminded every now and then of the importance of education, that is what this week is for. We often take it for granted, or even grow to dislike it because it makes us getup early in the morning. - Mindy DiGiacomo
The School�s Week to Shine If your parents come to the school to talk to your teachers on a November evening, don�t be alarmed. It�s just a way to commemorate American Education Week, the week of November 14. The Open House will he held on November 18 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Parents may also observe classes Monday through Friday of that week. Mr. Orlando feels that American Education Week is important with the trend away from education today. He points out that the re-emphasis on positive aspects of public education is necessary; this week refocuses public attention on education. Next year the Open House will be held in September, allowing parents and teachers to meet in the beginning of the school year. - Stephanie Rosenthal

Editorials
Girls� Sports at Mt. Penn
     Have you ever glanced at the gymnasium walls during inside gym classes? If you have then you must have seen all the banners of past championship sports teams from Mt. Penn. I guess I should feel proud of what our athletic program has accomplished in the past, but instead I am confused and somewhat disturbed.
     What did these teams have that we don�t? One possible answer became very clear to me recently. When mandatory practice began for girls� basketball, 12 players showed. After two days, two girls quit, leaving this year�s girls� basketball team with 10 players. As a result, there were not enough girls to complete two full teams; thus, the junior varsity squad had to be dropped. Some people may feel that this isn�t a problem, but two or three years from now what kind of team can we possibly have? � if there�s one at all.
     Having participated in many girls� sports over the years, I have experienced the frustration and the humiliation that year after year of losing brings. Why can�t Mt. Penn produce any more championship teams? Not only are numbers a factor; talent and experience have also been lacking. It is my feeling that up until now our school had not begun to develop its girls� sports program early enough. The middle school had its intramurals but there was no exposure to sports of this kind below that age level.
     Fortunately, our elementary school has begun intramurals for it�s students this year. I think this will prove to be very beneficial both to the individuals playing and to the future athletic program. With earlier development and increased dedication by its players, I think the girls� sports program can again be the cream of the crop and not the bottom of the barrel.
         - Trish Hill

Smoking In or Out
     A question has been raised through-out the student body of Mt. Penn High School. Should smoking be allowed inside the walls of the school or left among the birds and the blue sky? If it would be allowed inside, the number of suspended people would be fewer and the bathrooms would be foggy no more. However, more complaints would be heard. Some people can�t stand the smell of a lit cigarette. One way to get rid of the smoke-screened bathroom could be to open a smoking lounge. The other and more sensible way would be for the �smok�ers� to try to restrain themselves from �lighting up� until lunch rolled around. I don�t think this is too much to ask.
         - Lynn Slutsky

Deadlines Loom Ahead
     Making the choice of a college is never an easy decision for anyone. be he sophomore, junior, or senior. Hopefully, most seniors have chosen their college(s) by now and are applying. I myself have narrowed it down to a �chosen few� and am now applying. One thing I�ve noticed, however, is that there never seems to be enough time in the day for me to fill out the application forms. So I begin to worry. As the deadline approaches, I begin to panic. Believe me . it�s scary to think that not filling out a lousy piece of paper on time will destroy one�s chances of entering a favorite college. And it�s even scarier to think that you�re talking about an entire year of your life hinging on that piece of paper. So sophomores, juniors - be warned. It doesn�t matter if you apply to more than one college- if you delay applying because you haven�t chosen a few favorites, you�ll be sorry when those deadlines are suddenly looming in front of you. Apply as early as you can - and start filling out those applications as soon as possible, so you can work carefully and slowly. You certainly don�t want to make a stupid mistake that could cost you the college�s acceptance. What it all boils down to is this: give yourself enough time to fill out the applications carefully; make sure you keep all the different deadlines separate in your mind if you apply to more than one college; and read all directions carefully and proofread your final copy. Save yourself some headaches!!
         - Beth Long

First Period Fiasco
     Two years ago the students of Mount Penn High School were expected to report to school at 7:55 a.m. In a typical School Board paradox this was the same year that the no-high-school-bus-service bomb was dropped.
     These two events added up to lateness for many students, who did not have a car and were forced to rely on the almighty bus company. The time was wisely changed to 8:05 in 1981-82. But this change has quickly been forgotten with the advent of the middle school and high school fusion.
     The Mount Penn High School commuter is given two choices of departure time from Stony Creek. One
is 7:10 a.m. which arrives a half an hour before the start of school. The other and final choice is the 7:40 a.m. bus which either gets to school right on time or one minute late, depending on the bus driver and the direction of the wind.
     Why then not sacrifice those first five crucial minutes and save many people days of after school detention?
         - Tim Conlon

This Is Lunch?
     On the first day of school, the Penn Post staff learned about the new lunch schedule: There are 3 lunch periods, beginning with 7th and 8th grades at 11 a.m. and ending at 12:30, when grades 11 and 1 2 drag their starving bodies down the hallway to the cafeteria because there is not enough time to go out. The change is a result of a greater number of students in the building. More lunch periods had to be provided; consequently, lunch time had to be shortened from previous years.
     Another complication of the modified open lunch is permission slips. The residents in the school area had been complaining about students loitering on their properties during open lunch. Therefore, a decision was made by the school board to require every 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade student to bring in a parent permission slip stating that he may have open lunch. The deadline for these letters was Sept. 13. If a rushed student forgot to bring in his note, he is now denied open lunch privileges for the entire year.
     The school has gone through many changes this year, and the schedule had to accommodate this, but perhaps the lunch periods could have been somewhat longer, giving students enough time to go through the lunch-line or to go out for lunch.
     The requirement for parent permission slips in order to have open lunch doesn�t solve anything. Most parents signed the notes, but a student could have signed his own. The complaints from the community surrounding the school are justifiable, but many of the students who were not the cause of the problem must remain inside during lunch because they did not hand in a note from home.
     These changes have made lunch time less pleasant than in the past. It makes some of us wonder, Why bother to go to lunch at all?
         - Stephanie Rosenthal

NEW FACES AT MPHS
Miss Michewicz Is that a field hockey team member wearing that kilt? No, it�s Miss Michewicz, the new phys. ed. and health teacher. Miss Mic, as she is called by many of her students, is filling in for Miss Geiger, who is on a sabbatical leave for the 1982-83 school year. Miss Michewicz graduated from East Stroudsburg College and previously taught at the St. Ignatius Loyola School in West Lawn. She lives in this area with her family. After school hours she enjoys fishing, cooking, listening to music, and officiating field hockey and girls� basketball games. Miss Michewicz is an alumni of Mt. Penn, and she enjoys being back here as a staff member. - Stephanie Rosenthal Mrs. Walborn Another stranger to the faculty is Mrs. Walborn, the 7th and 8th grade art teacher. She�s quite hard to find because her schedule varies from day to day, and classes are spread throughout the day. Although she has taught art before, this is the first time she is teaching art in the junior high. Mrs. Walborn thoroughly enjoys working with the other students. Mrs. Walborn is a native of Connecticut, but is no stranger to Berks County. In fact, she received her bachelor�s degree in Art Education at Kutztown State College. Following her years at Kutztown, she went back to Connecticut where she taught senior art in West Haven for one year. Mrs. Walborn and her family now live in Muhlenberg Township, which she considers her home. Her family consists of two little boys, one in first grade and the other in second. In addition to her children, Mrs. Walborn has two cats and a dog. Mrs. Walborn, a busy person, does a lot of volunteer work, such as doing art work for various organizations and being the treasurer of the Muhlenberg Library. Mrs. Walborn�s art work is often in the areas of weaving, making wall hangings, or painting with water colors. She is especially fond of any type of fiber art. In Mrs. Walborn�s opinion, our new junior-senior high school is working quite well. She likes being at Mt. Penn and feels we have a nice group of students and faculty. - Pam Horning	Miss Murray One of the many new faces this year on the faculty is Miss Murray. She will be with us until the end of January when Mr. Dengler comes back to resume his post. Then she will try to get a job in the educational field, hopefully in this area. The courses Miss Murray teaches are ninth grade American History and twelth grade P.O.D. This is her first teaching position since graduating from Dickinson College, which is in Carlisle, Pa. Miss Murray was a student teacher at Mechanicsburg High School near Harrisburg. There she taught mainly psychology and some courses in social, political, economic problems and American history. Her family lives in Birdsboro. She has a younger brother who is a senior at the Hill School. Miss Murray now lives in a Mount Penn apartment. She has no pets except for the bugs in her home. She likes living in the Mount Penn area because it is closer to stores, movies, and city life, than her home in Birdsboro. Going to her aerobic dance class, seeing movies, and swimming are some of Miss Murray�s favorite hobbies. Miss Murray thinks our school has a friendly atmosphere where it�s not hard to meet the people. She likes our smallness because one can fit in easier with the others. Unlike the rest of us, she�s having no trouble adjusting to being in a Junior-Senior high school. This is because she went to Daniel Boone, Junior-Senior high school. - Pam Horning Mr. Higgins It you asked Mr. Higgins �Parlez�vous francais?� (Do you speak French?), he would answer �Oui� (yes). This is because he is the new French and European history teacher here at Mt. Penn. A graduate of Kutztown State College, Mr. Higgins received a Bachelor of Arts in history and state teaching certificates for social studies and French. This is his first teaching position. Mr. Higgins is not new in Reading and lives with his family. Outside of school he is interested in music, especially piano; he enjoys reading science fiction and history; and he also likes sports, such as fishing. At this point, Mr. Higgins has pleasant feelings for Mt. Penn High School; he enjoys it here very much. - Stephanie Rosenthal	Mr. Okuniewski Takes New Position Mr. Okuniewski, part-time industrial arts teacher, has left us to take a full-time position at the Exeter Senior High School. He is teaching metal shop and architectural drawing there. Mr. Okuniewski enjoyed his years here very much and he really hated to leave us, but he is pleased to have found full-time employment. Those of you who play street hockey beware because Mr. Okuniewski is out to win. - Pam Horning Mr. Groff Mr. Groff, the replacement for Mr. Okuniewski, is a graduate of Millersville State College. This is his first job as an industrial arts teacher; however, he has some experience from student teaching at Governor Mifflin, where he taught wood work. Mr. Groff�s priority here at Mt. Penn is to keep our industrial arts program strong. Another goal he has is to get the dust collecter working. So far he likes the school and the small shop classes. Mr. Groff lives with his family in Boyertown. The family consists of six bothers and six sisters of which he is the second youngest. In addition to his family, Mr. Groff has Sheb.�, his German shepherd. If the name Tim Groff sounds familiar, it might be because he was twice state champ and an All-American in cross country. At Boyertown High School he was league, district, and state champion in 1976. For the league and District I title he ran the 3-mile cross country. Mr. Groff also ran the indoor track 2 mile, breaking the standing record with the time 9:26. At Millersville he was an All. American and a state co-champion in 1979. He qualified for All-American by running 5 miles in 24:38. Mr. Groff no longer runs competitively. - Pam Horning Mrs. Godek You may have walked into the Home Ec. room one day only to notice that it is not Miss Weaver whom you see; it is Mrs. Godek. Mrs. Godek works part-time at Mount Penn teaching 7th grade foods and 8th grade clothing. Mrs. Godek graduated from Mansfield State College and has taught 7 years in the Reading School District. She lives with her husband, 7 year old daughter, a dog, and a rabbit. When not teaching, she enjoys playing tennis, bowling, sewing crafts, and reading. Mrs. Godek enjoys teaching at Mt. Penn, and she especially likes the faculty and the students. - Stephanie Rosenthal

...New Teachers

Studen Council
     Student council met on October 5 to discuss a variety of topics. The first item on the agenda was directed to all homeroom representatives and concerned their duties and absences. One of their responsibilities is to inform their homerooms after each meeting about student council news. Another job is to participate in the activities planned by student council. Finally, they must inform their alternates if they can�t attend a meeting. With regard to absence, President
Angela Anastasiadas takes a firm stand --

1) No representatives are allowed
more than 2 unexcused absences.

2) If neither the alternate nor the representative are present at a meeting, new elections are held and both are replaced.

     The second topic was a report from Denise Malecki on Student Forum, but nothing much happened at that meeting.
     Trish Hill reported on the school board meeting. The only important thing was that the board decided to use the middle school for basketball games.
     Finally, members were chosen to serve on various committees:

Christmas Dance chairman:
Debbie Yoder

Fund-raising Committee members:
Cindy Bright	Betsy Meitrott
Audrey Acker	Larissa Dudash
Mindy Helms	Suzanna Post
Kayla Mertz	Donald Mackowiak

Assembly Committee:
Marshalle Palm
Michele Urban
Bert Schreiber

     Students are reminded that Student Council is eager to hear from you if you have a problem or an idea. See your homeroom representative or alternate.
         - Beth Long

FTA Travels Again
     On October 28 five members of FTA went to Kutztown State College for a Preview Day for the Arts program. Students interested in programs of the art school had the chance to visit classes and speak with faculty members. They were also able to experience performances and readings in the majors of Music, Speech, and Theatre, as well as Creative Writing and Literature.
     The FTA members who went on the trip all agree they had learned much and would like to attend similar programs.
         - Stephanie Rosenthal

Miss Geiger
     No, she is not related to Miss Geiger, our former health and physical education teacher. She is Miss Geiger, the part-time general science teacher. Miss Geiger has two 9th and one 7th grade class. Since this is a one-year position, she plans to pursue a job in education, moving out of the area if necessary.
     Reading and Governor Mifflin are two schools at which Miss Geiger previously taught. In addition, she has worked at the Reading Planetarium, teaching pre-school through 8th grade.
     Miss Geiger, an Exeter graduate, obtained her bachelor�s degree in earth science at Penn State. She received her teaching degree from Kutztown.
     Miss Geiger makes her home in Reiffton. Her family consists of two older brothers, two younger brothers, and two younger sisters. Her cat Riffer, her only pet, has been with her since she was at Penn State.
     Needlework is one of Miss Geiger�s hobbies. She crochets and needle-points. Her aim is to make an afghan for Christmas but feels she is starting too late to be done by then. Reading and hiking are her other hobbies. Since a large amount of her time is spent preparing for school, she doesn�t have much time for her hobbies.
     Miss Geiger enjoys teaching here at Mt. Penn. She likes our school and her students.
         - Pam Horning

Music at Mt. Penn
     Everyone has probably noticed many changes in the school system now that the seventh and eighth grades are at the high school. One of these changes is the size and form of the band and chorus.
     This year there is one band, open to all interested students from grades seven through twelve. The chorus, however, is separated into seventh/ eighth and ninth through twelth. There are about fifty students in the band, thirty in the seventh/eighth grade chorus, and forty in the senior high chorus.
     Mr. Ruch says, �I�m looking forward to working with a six-year band again, primarily because of the added personnel. It gives the band a lot more flexibility.�
     The band did not parade at all this fall, primarily because of problems involving uniforms and scheduling. Right now all three groups are preparing for the Christmas concert.
         - Beth Long

Mr. Riley
     From October 27 to December 22 Mr. Riley, Mr. Choyka�s student teacher, will be in our midst. Mr. Riley is still getting the feel of teaching. Primarily he�s teaching 10th grade world cultures. To date he likes the school, its students, and its friendly faculty.
     Mr. Riley is quite a busy man. In addition to his teaching duties he is an assistant football coach at Schuykill Valley. At Southern Junior High he coaches ninth grade girls basketball. He will also be helping Mr. Choyka with our boys basketball team. Because Mr. Riley is so involved with sports, he has little time for anything else.
     As a student at Kutztown State College, Mr. Riley has been a member of the football team and the track team. He plays defensive back and in 1981 was an All-conference player. In the spring of 1982 he was an All-conference discus thrower, As a student at Reading High, he also played football and was an All-county player. He was also on the 3rd string All. state team in 1977.
     Mr. Riley had signed with the NFL Detroit Lions for tryouts. During the summer he broke his wrist playing a friendly basketball game. This prevented him from trying out. Mr. Riley hopes to play football again, but he isn�t sure it�s in his future.
         - Pam Horning

Unfamiliar Face at MPHS
     On Tuesday, October 26 we had a strange visitor in the high school auditorium in the form of a dog. This dog, Bruno, worth 6 to 8 thousand dollars is not your usual run-of-the-mill dog. He was trained in Virginia to sniff out marijuana, hashish, cocaine, and heroine. He was here with his owner trainer Philip Gipprich, from the Berks County Sheriff�s Office. Bruno and Mr. Gibbrich are available to any police department in the county for searching out drugs.
     In the demonstration some very reluctant students were asked to give up their valued school books. The Officer put these on the stage in 7 or 8 piles. The first time Bruno went across the stage, there was no hashish. But the second time he found and tore apart the manilla envelope containing the narcotic drug. To stop Bruno from attacking the package, Officer Gipprich gave him a small, rolled up towel to chew on.
         - Lynn Slutsky

Senior High
Gifted Program
     The 9-12 gifted program this year is coordinated by Mrs. Krick, who is one of the guidance counselors at the high school. Most of the gifted work for this year can be done outside the school setting on released time. Participation in the program is voluntary, depending on the student�s interest and school schedule. The students in the program will attend classes or work on projects designed for themselves to fulfill their own needs. Mrs. Krick will assist in any way possible.
     The students have different options from which to choose. The first option is to attend a local college and receive both high school and college credit for a course of the student�s choice. The student wishing to participate in this option must pay for the expense of the college course (Albright, for example, would be approximately $300) and find his own transportation. The second option is a shadow program in an industry or a career field. The student will observe a person in a field or industry of his choice on a scheduled basis. The third option is voluntary work at a lab, hospital, medical facility, or a child care center. The final choice is an independent project in the student�s area of interest. Released time from school will be granted to gifted students choosing any of these options if it can be worked into the student�s schedule.
     After the students are finished with their programs, they arc required to write a report about the work that they did and tell what they learned from their experience.
         - Marshalle Palm

To Learn or Not to Learn
     On October 23, 1982, the Mt. Penn High School United Nations Club, held its annual workshop. Approximately 45 students from five area schools participated.
     The workshop was to explain about the Model United Nations to new members and to refresh the memories of old members. The workshop was conducted by the senior members of Mt. Penn�s Club.
     The workshop was run as a conference, but was a learning experience, rather than a competition. The workshop served its purpose and the club was pleased with its outcome.
     The UN Club�s next venture and first competition is at Reading High School, on November 19 and 20.
         - Jodi Kisling

Junior High speaks out
     Since the high school students have spoken out as to how they like Mt. Penn becoming a junior-senior high, we thought it was time to hear the 7th and 8th grade views about the school. We surveyed all the 7th and 8th grade classes and the results varied.
     Many 7th graders enjoy being in a larger school with senior high students because it makes them feel older. Others liked the simplicity of the middle school pods and feel intimidated by the older students here.
     The 8th grade opinions are not as diversified. While they were counting on being the �top of the school� this year, they feel that being in the high school is now preparing them for their future years. Many of them have friends in the upper grades to help them out.
     Most of the 7th and 8th graders said that they would like to be included in more senior high activities. Some of the more popular activities and clubs were Y-teens, the newspaper, and various sports teams. Intramural sports, 7th and 8th grade dances and playnights were also some activity ideas.
     The majority of the junior high students said that they missed the middle school, but being a part of Mt. Penn High School seems to be a good experience.
         - Stephanie Rosenthal

The Fascinating Art Class
     In previous years in the middle school, we had art, shop, and home ec. Home ec and shop haven�t changed that much, but art has. This year in art we are doing many exciting things. Mrs. Walborn is a good artist and really gets the point across to the students. Right now we are working on drawings and outlining them in black ink. We also are learning how to design things and make different shapes. Mrs. Walborn told us to start following the lines on her paper, and it would turn out to be a picture. It turned out to be a really neat design. I think art is a lot of fun, and I hope it stays that way.
        - Heather Ruhe

Guidance
     In an interview with Mrs. Krick, our guidance counselor, I found that the purpose of her guidance class is to help the 7th and 8th grade students make adjustments to school and life. Mrs. Krick enjoys teaching her new class. She says, �My class is fun. There�s no work, unless you think having fun is work. It is interesting, and I like talking and discussing things with students.� Mrs. Krick thinks the students also enjoy her class; in fact, she can�t think of any reason why they would not.
        - Becca Weitz

Going to the A-Field
     Every Monday and Tuesday, second period in the morning, 7-A has physical education class. We leave our first period science class and scamper down the stairs to the men�s locker room to change into our gym suits. Gym class is usually a lot of fun, but the few minutes spent in the locker area preceding class are really physically debilitating. The locker room is so cold and damp that most of us are shivering uncontrollably while changing into our gym clothes. At the same time we are praying that we can get out of there as quickly as possible.
     If the weather is decent, Mr. Shultz announces that we will travel to the A-field for this class. A mass of shivering bodies emerges from the locker room, ready but not always willing to make the mad dash to the Mt. Penn athletic field. Approximately halfway some of the group begin to tire; their breathing becomes heavy and labored; their muscles quiver with each contraction and extension. Now the pace changes from full sprint to slow walking.
     The physical education instructors are waiting for us to arrive. Next they tell us what activities they have planned for this day. The following 20 minutes make all the suffering we endured worthwhile; now we are finally allowed to scream and run and release our tensions and frustrations. All too soon the activities are over, and it is time to begin the dreaded journey back to the classrooms at the high school.
         - Tim McMahon

The Excellent Experience
     Gifted is a class that is becoming more and more popular with parents as time elapses. It is an extra enrichment class with many different learning areas. The teacher, Mrs. Latimer who used to be a history teacher, has been a gifted teacher for two years. She always makes sure we work and have fun doing it.
     There are many activities to keep the students busy, some activity centers in the past have been stamps and famous mathematicians. Some of the activities to come are calligraphy, unique, and time-line. To get the students� brain power working Mrs. Latimer starts off with a brain teaser and a brainstorming activity. After the mind games we work on centers and sometimes play games. When we finish a center, we must present it to the teacher and the class.
     This year the gifted class is planning a trip to Washington, D.C. Last year this group went to Williamsburg, Virginia.
        - Kristin Motley

From Our Critics
A Late Night Murder
     Has popularity killed Second City Television? In a way it certainly has.
     I started watching SCTV over two years before the Bob and Doug Cult helped the show to Take Off. One year before this show became the in thing to watch it was easily the best late night viewing around with outrageous skits like John Candy�s Fishin� Lodge, Polynesian Town and The Captain Combat Show! If you are an SCTV addict and none of these ring a bell, then you are among the unlucky ones who have missed the show�s real flavor. Which only a late night underdog can have. It may be coincidental that when SCTV gained popularity it changed for the worse, but I think the writer�s became starstruck. Although it�s still a funny program, I fear the former and funnier SCTV has become another prime time casualty; I hope you didn�t miss the show at
it�s best.
         - Tim Conlon

1984
by George Orwell
     The book 1984 was written by George Orwell in the 1950�s. It is an account of a futuristic government that has robbed everyone of individualism, freedom of thought, and conscience. I truly enjoyed reading this book and intend giving it a good review. It�s very hard not to.
     The main characters in 1984 are Winston Smith and Julia. They are two lovers who commit a mortal sin in the futuristic society: they care for each other and they have a love affair. There is also a man named O�Brien who starts the reader believing that an underground rebellion movement really does exist. Later in the novel his real identity is revealed. There is only one other main character, who is never really in the action. Goldstein is the name of a man who allegely committed treason against the government.
     The setting is the year 1984 in a world filled with hate, lies, and mistrust. There are 3 main super powers: Oceana, Eurasia, and East Asia. This story takes place in Oceana, but any story in the other two countries would have the same background. Each power goes by the same philosophy: government is the supreme power and the people have no power at all. The people even have to speak another language called Newspeak. The �Thought Police� is an organization designed to bring in people who they believe to be traitors to the government. The slogan �Big Brother
is watching you� can be found everywhere.
     1984 is an excellent piece of work and is recommended reading by most colleges. It is not a fictional book of some far off future but a grim reality of what we may be starting to face. This book is essential reading for every American, and I give it my highest rating. 1984 is a classic book that is sure
to last for a long time.
         - Dave Ravel

A friend is someone who knows all
about you and still loves you.

Dear Habib
Dear Habib,
     For as long as I can remember, I�ve been really good friends with this girl. We never saw each other very often, because we lived kind of far apart. Since we wanted to spend more time together, we joined this club. We met a lot of people�and now she spends more time with them than with me. The club isn�t all that interesting anymore, but it�s the only time I see her or even talk to her�she doesn�t call me anymore or anything. What do I do? Do I stay in the club?
          Left Behind

Dear Left Behind,
     You should keep your membership in the club, but take a break from it. When you have been away from the club for a while, you will probably like it when you return. (Call your friend and explain the situation to her; if she ever was your friend, she �II understand and if she doesn�t understand, forget her, for she never was worth it to begin with.) Meantime pursue other interests and try to meet new people. You can never have enough friends.
          Habib

Dear Habib,
     My problem is my pet rock, Spot. I�ve had Spot for close to four years now, and we�re very close. Lately, though, he just hasn�t been himself. He never fetches, begs, or comes when called anymore. Spot�s only activity is rolling over and playing dead. Please help my sick pet! What do you think is wrong?
          Lonely for Spot

Dear Lonely for Spot
     I did research on pet rocks, and discovered some useful information. Every four years they go through a religious ritual where they prove themselves to the rock god. It is difficult and strenous; all they do is lie down and meditate. Spot will come back to normal, but you have to be patient with him. Even rocks have morals which they can�t contradict.
          Habib

Habib's Believe It or Not
Gossip Column
D.R. is going to be a green beret, just like Rambo.

R. is sexy.

Weekends were made for P.S.U.

J.J. has been seen with a pretty little girl from Georgia.

L.H. � What is that blue stuff all over your legs?

KS. is a proud puppy owner, but can�t find his shadow.

B.L. has D.H.�s child in her possession.

We have found the solution.


Penn Post Staff
Editor	Beth Long
Editorials	Jeff Jacobson
Features	Trish Hill
News	Marshalle Palm
Sports	Dave Ravel
Art	Mindy DiGiacomo
Reporters	Tim Conlon Pam Horning Eric Kantor Jodi Kisling Stephanie Rosenthal Lynn Slutsky
Advisor	Mrs. Strickler

Students of the Issue Beth Long Our female student of the issue has a �long� list of attributes to her name. This student is the highest ranking senior, and she participates in many extra-curricular activities. She is not only president of the National Honor Society, but she is also a member of the Penn Alma and Penn Post staffs. This issue�s senior is Beth Long. Beth participates in band, where she plays the flute and the piccolo. Her involvement in our school chorus has taken her to the county and district levels. Her main interests lie in the art field. Beth enjoys water color, oil painting, drawing, and silkscreening. She received awards in these areas last spring. Her other pastimes are music, photography, reading and writing. Obviously Beth is quite a public speaker. Last year she won the local level of the Optimist International Oratorical Contest, and in 1980 she won the local and the zone levels. Beth would like to attend either Kutztown State College or Penn State University where she hopes to major in a math-science field. Beth is looking forward to a career involving computers. - Trish Hill Kevin Shearer The student of the Issue is Kevin Shearer. Kevin is an all-around student at Mt. Penn. He does well academically; he plays basketball, baseball, volleyball; and he he manages the soccer team. Kevin is vice-president of the Senior class, an office he also held as a junior, and treasurer of the National Honor Society. He participated in band for three years and chorus for one. Kevin enjoys many things. They include basketball, MASH, basketball, baseball, basketball, volleyball, basketball, sleeping, and basketball. Kevin has also enjoyed being vice-president of his junior and senior class. He can always be counted on for having spirit at Mount Penn High School. Kevin has recently acquired a new puppy, named Shadow, and is very excited. Kevin is planning on going to college or going into the military. - Jodi Kisling German Trip On Monday, October 18, Miss Korba took all of the German students on a field trip. They went to Allentown to see The Alpine Mountain Boys from Austria. The group sang and danced and played musical instruments from their country. - Marshalle Palm	Sports
	Golf Season Ends Golf is finally over for another year. Although the team did less than admirably, they had fun doing it. The team was building because it was young and inexperienced. Perhaps until next year they will be strong enough to win a match or two. The season started out on the wrong foot because of lack of interest on the part of seniors on the squad. All of them missed the physical dead-line, so none of them could play golf. If the present team can stick together until their senior year, perhaps we may even have a winning season. The final games against Conrad Weiser and Wilson were tough matches because the teams were very good. We lost both, but hopefully we�ll get them next year. - Dave Ravel Hockey Honors Recently two outstanding hockey players were chosen from Mt. Penn for special honors. Trish Hill and Kari Nordhoy were chosen as members of Division I All-Star hockey team. There are 3 divisions in hockey competition, each of which comprise 6-7 teams. Every year outstanding players from each division are singled out for honors. This is the second year for Trish, a senior, and Kari, a sophomore, is on her way to a great high school hockey career. We at Mt. Penn applaud them for a job well done. - Dave Ravel V-I -C-T-O-R-Y That�s Our Hockey Battle Cry! Sound the trumpets Ring the bells Let�s spread the word If you have to, YELL! After four years of trying Our hockey team won! Let�s give them a hand For what they have done. The first was Twin Valley A shut out, no less The second was Oley They were in first place! Miss Weaver was crying The fans clapped and cheered The team was hysterical Two wins in one year! We�ve always been the losers A streak of bad luck I�m just so thankful That we never gave up! - Trish Hill	Continuing Hockey Statistics The season resumed with a game at Tulpehocken. Coming off a disappointing loss against Oley, Mt. Penn resumed the fight. Tulpehocken scored first, a few minutes into the half. But Mt. Penn�s offense was relentless and Jackie Savitz scored in the second half, ending the game in a 1-1 tie. Kutztown was next on the list, and this game was begun with high spirits. Mt. Penn scored first on a scoop by Kari Nordhoy. Kutztown evened it out before the half. When the game resumed, Kutztown scored 3 times in 15 minutes. But Mt. Penn didn�t give up and scored again, followed by a Kutztown goal and one more by Mt. Penn. The final score was 5-3 in favor of Kutztown. The team met with Fleetwood next on the home field. The Tigers scored first but Mt. Penn quickly tied it upon a penalty flick by Trish Hill. However, Fleetwood scored twice in the second half, ending the game at 3-1. Undaunted by this loss Mt. Penn entered the game against Twin Valley. Playing with the home field advantage the Mounts scored 30 seconds Into the game. Due to the ferocious fighting of the whole team Mt. Penn held off the Raider offense and scored 2 more times. Trish Hill scored all three goals. Yes, you heard it right, Mt. Penn won a hockey game. The first win in over eight seasons! As a result of this win the Mt. Penn/Central game was entered into with highest spirits, but these were quickly squelched by a Central goal early in the first half. Determined that this wouldn�t happen again, Mt. Penn fought harder and kept the ball out of the goal. The game ended at a score of 1-0. Daniel Boone, a tough game earlier in the season, was the next opponent. The Mounts were confident that they would not lose to them again, and they didn�t. Mt. Penn held off the Blazers the entire game for an end score of 0-0. Wyomissing�s first place status was a little intimidating in the next game, and Mt. Penn lost 3-0. The final game of the year was against Oley, a team also tied for first place. This time the intimidation factor wasn�t there, and Trish Hill scored early in the first half. Mt. Penn played one of it�s best games this season, beating Oley 1-0 and knocking them out of 1st place. - Mindy DiGiacomo

Soccer Stats
     The second half of the season began with the Conrad Weiser game which the Mounts lost 1-4. John Ford had the lone goal with an assist from Greg Volutza. The Mounts were then crushed by Tulpehocken 2-10. The Trojans played their best game that fateful day. John Ford and Greg Volutza both scored. The Governor Mifflin game was lost 1-4 with Dave Werner, assisted by Greg Volutza, scoring in the last 30 seconds of the game. At the Wilson game the Mounts got their act together and won 4-1. Goals were made by Jeff Motze, assisted by Dave Werner; Werner, assisted by Matt Gross; Todd Ringler, assisted by John Ford; and Ford unassisted. The Mounts then went on to beat Hamburg 2-1. Greg Volutza and Jeff Motze, who broke the tie in the 4th quarter, both scored with no assists. Twin Valley was the Mounts� next victim
4-2. John Ford scored twice with assists from Greg Volutza and Jeff Motze. Volutza scored with the help of Ford, and Carlos Scheirer had a goal unassisted.
     The second Kutztown game was the same as the first. The score was 3-1 going into the 4th quarter. Kutztown tied the score, and the game went into a scoreless overtime. The ending score was 3-3. John Ford had two goals with assists from Greg Volutza and Leon Pace; the third goal came from Pace. At Oley the Mounts lost 1-5. John Ford had the lone goal.
     The Mounts were then overrun by the county champs. Fleetwood 0-6. Fleetwood�s score in the first 30 seconds intimidated the Mounts. There were 3 more goals in the first quarter. After the first quarter the boys pulled together and played well the remainder of the game. Greg Clark, the team�s goalie, played an outstanding game with several spectacular saves. The Mounts final game was a cold, night game at Brandywine. The team played a good game despite the final score 2-3. Scoring was Dave Werner who was assisted by Leon Pace and John Ford.
         - Pam Horning

Greg Clark stretches
to save that goal.

Closing the
Soccer Season
     Despite the Mounts losing record of 5-9-2 league and 6-10-2 overall, Mr. Messner feels the team had a successful season when he looks at the team�s experience and talent. The team is losing 5 seniors, four of which were starters at key positions. The losses include Greg Clark, a good experienced goalie; John Ford and Greg Volutza, the team�s top scorers, Carlos Scheirer, the center half back, and sub Rick Denby. With all the defense except the goalie returning, the team is looking for some new scorers.
     Mr. Messner hopes the intermural soccer program and the indoor soccer team, both including grades 7-12, will keep the team in shape and sharpen individual skills.
         - Pam Horning

Scoring Stats
John Ford Greg Volutza Dave Werner Carlos Scheirer Jeff Motze Leon Pace Todd Ringler Matt Gross	Goals 14 6 5 3 3 1 1 -	Assists 6 6 1 2 2 2 - 1

New Role for the
Mounts on the Court
     This year the boys basketball team is expected and predicted to be one of the main teams in the section. In other years the Mounts were always the dark horse struggling to reach the top. Coach Choyka feels the season will be interesting because staying on top is tough since every other team will be striving to knock down the Mounts.
     The reason the Mounts are being selected as a main team is the four remaining starters. Matt Faust, Jeff Eckel, Kevin Shearer, all seniors, and Tom Sload, a junior, will be the nucleus of the team. Having four returning players should give the Mounts good balance. Coach Choyka says the question of who the fifth man will be is still up in the air.
     Besides a new role, the Mounts also have a new division. The division is made up of Mount Penn and five other schools which include Oley Valley, Wyomissing, Central Catholic, Daniel Boone, and Twin Valley. The Mounts will be playing in twenty-five games, playing each team in their division twice and the remaining fifteen games will be exhibition games with the teams from the other divisions. All the games count since the team�s overall record is decision-maker of whether the Mounts will go to the playoffs.
         - Pam Horning

New Ending
for the Mounts
     This year the senior hockey players can graduate with a smile of triumph on their faces. Their overall record of 2-9-2 would not have made many other teams happy, but our team knows they overcame a lot to get their two wins. They put up with the mockery, the lack of enthusiasm, and the criticism of other schools and even that of their own school. Miss Weaver is proud of her team and feels that they have improved 100% from last year. She hopes the enthusiasm from beating undefeated Oley will carry over to the start of next season, for which she is very anxious. After a slow start of 0-6, the Mounts pulled it together and finished the last 8 games with the record of 24-2.
     The leaving seniors include L�Oreal Endy, goalie; Trish Hill, center; Pam Horning, wing; Carolyn Horst, full�back; Lynn Slutsky, wing; Kristin Szurgot, inner; and Robin Tobias, half-back. Gioia Freeman, scorekeeper, left the team this year because of a nose operation. The majority of seniors played on the offensive line. Miss Weaver feels the line can be replaced with the scoring talent of the JV line. There will be many returning players and hopefully freshmen to fill in the vacant positions. An intramural field hockey program for 7th and 8th grade should arouse interest and sharpen the skills of perspective players.
     In addition to the two wins and two ties, there were several casualties. The streak began with Trish Hill�s stitches. Diane Churan then was hit in the mouth during a practice corner before a game. Pam Horning�s black eye was next. During the same game Carolyn Horst broke her finger. Aside from these more serious injuries, there were also the assorted bumps, bruises, strains and sprains that go with any sport.
     Trish Hill was the high scorer with 6 goals, followed by Jackie Savitz, 2 goals, and Kari Nordhoy, 1 goal. L�Oreal Endy the goalie, had 125 saves in 125 games.
         - Pam Horning

Kari Nordhoy dodges her opponent