Penn
Post
Mt. Penn Jr./Sr. High
School
25th and Filbert Sts. - Mt.
Penn, Pa. 19606
NATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK
November 17 - 23
"American's Public Schools: The Subject
Is Excellence"
Let's Celebrate American Education Week |
YOUR
MONEY'S WORTH
Mt. Penn High School is a comprehensive
6-year public school. The current
enrollment is 434 students. Out of that,
78 are seniors, 67juniors,81 sophomores,
59 freshmen, 80 eighth graders and 69
seventh graders.
There are 31 faculty members; 28 full time and 3
part-time. Of these, 15 are male and 16
female. There is a ratio of 13 students
to 1 teacher. There is one guidance
counselor who works with grades 7
through 12.
A recent discussion with the guidance counselor
revealed how well our students are
doing. Out of the 59 seniors who began
school last year, 52 graduated, with 55%
of those attending college. Less than 2%
dropped out.
The average SAT score in March and May, 1984 for Verbal
was 473. This up from a 1982 score of
450 and 460 in 1983. The math average
was 512, up slightly from 1982 at 510,
but down from 1983 when it was 540, the
highest in the county. Last year 2 of
our seniors qualified as Merit
Scholarship finalists and were awarded
scholarships.
For graduation, a student needs 26.6 credits, which is
the highest requirement in Pennsylvania.
There are no study halls in Mt. Penn.
Students have 40 out of 40 periods in
classroom instruction.
Mr. Cox was quoted as saying, "We are the best high
school with the highest standards and
the best educated students in the state
of Pennsylvania." When asked "Are the
people getting their money's worth at
Mt. Penn High School?" Mr. Cox replied,
"I don't know where you could get more!"
- Irene Hatzistravakis
|
The roots of
education are bitter, but
the fruits are sweet.
Aristotle |
|
TEACHERS
"Wanted: human beings who are a mix
of saint, ham actor, and full-time
work-aholic."
Have you seen this ad in the local newspaper lately?
Most probably not, but if you had would
you believe it's for a teacher?
Most of us don't realize how much time, effort, and
patience it takes to be a teacher. In
fact, until you've either tutored
someone, or actually taught a class, you
don't realize how hard it is to be a
teacher.
Educators need to be shown respect, just like
other professionals. Where would we be
without teachers? Not only do they
instruct us by facts and figures, but
they also teach us a sense of
responsibility.
During American Education Week, I think we should
show teachers how much we value them by
positive comments, an appreciative
attitude, or a simple than k you.
- Cindy
Jurasinski
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION
Education is the study of teaching and
learning processes. People take
education for granted because, it's
given to us so easily. Few of us realize
the importance of a good education.
After all, where would civilization be
without a good system for educating the
youth?
Education gives everyone a fair chance at
succeeding in life. A person from a very
poor background can make good use of his
education and make a name and a better
life for himself and his family.
We at MPHS should consider ourselves lucky to be
in a school that has a high quality
system of academics. Although we are a
small school, our academic standards are
very respectable.
- Kerry Motze |
|
NOVEMBER
1985
THE MT. PENN
SUCCESS STORY
Many graduates of our school have reached levels
of success in their fields. The Penn Post would like
to begin keeping record of achievements by our
graduates. We begin in this issue with these few:
HAROLD WEAVER was the president and chairman
of the board for Carpenter Technology. He is now
retired.
TOM KOCH ('81) is a graduate of Penn State
with a BS in geology. Presently at North Carolina
State, he teaches class 20 hours a week on an
assistantship while studying for his masters'
degree.
MICHELLE SANTEE ('78) has a doctorate in
aerospace engineering and is employed by NASA in the
jet propulsion lab. She is part of the preparation
for the Venus probe in the 1990's.
STEVE HERB ('70) is the coordinator for the
Dauphin County Library. He is in the process of
writing a children's literature book and is also
working on his Ph.D. in early childhood development.
BRADLEY HYMAN ('74 valedictorian) earned a BS
in biochemistry and an MD from the University of
Iowa. He recently received publicity in the New York
Times for his research on Alzheimer's disease.
There are more success stories on our list, but if you
have any to add, we are very interested in including
them. Please send your information to Penn Post or
give it to Lorraine Tobias.
- Lorraine
Tobias
|
|
Letters to the Editor |
THE
DROPOUT PROBLEM
One of the major problems in high schools today is the
dropout crisis. Approximately one in four
students will not graduate from high school. This statistic is very alarming, since there are
virtually no good jobs available to people who
don't have a diploma.
There are many reasons why students drop out of
high school. Some leave because they join the
service. Others leave for more depressing
reasons, such as drugs, illiteracy, poor grades,
sexual abuse, and pregnancy.
The high school graduation percentage for
Pennsylvania is 79.7%. Pennsylvania's percentage
is seventeenth on a list of graduation rates
from highest to lowest. The state that has the
highest graduation rate is North Dakota, with a
94.8%. Louisiana, with a 57.2%, has the lowest
rate in the country.
Mount Penn's amount of dropouts is relatively
small, but having just a few dropouts is still
too many. I n the class of 1984, 3 people
dropped out of a class of 76 students. In 1985,
3 dropped out from a class of 65 people, 1 of
whom returned. Presently, 1 person has dropped
out of this year's graduating class of 80. Mount
Penn's dropout rate over the past few years
hasn't made any dramatic increase.
What is being done to help increase the high
school graduation rate? A few programs have been
started in different areas of the country. Many
schools have counseling for dropouts and
potential dropouts. Hopefully, in the future, a
few of these programs will be available to our
area. Even if the counseling helps only a few
students, it's worth it.
- Kathleen
Petruska
THE BEST THINGS IN
LIFE ARE FREE
Think about the things you value most, things you
couldn't live without �friendship, love and
laughter. How much did you pay for them? They
cost nothing, yet so much is gained from them.
Friends are always there for you; they provide
the love and laughter we all need so much. A
true friend is a friend for life. That's one
thing most material objects don't provide.
Yes, money may make the world go 'round, but the
best things in life are definitely free.
- Nancy Snyder |
PROBLEMS WITH SCHOOLS TODAY
On a local survey conducted for the PSEA (Pennsylvania
State Educators Association) by an independent
firm, the people of America listed the problems
with public schools in their community today.
The biggest problem of all in local schools is
the fact that students are greatly lacking
discipline. The second biggest problem in local
schools is the use of drugs, followed by the
difficulty in getting good teachers, poor
curriculum and low standards, in that order.
There is also the lack of adequate financial
support, and the racially integrating in public
schools.
This 1985 survey was taken for the average public
schools in America. This does not however, mean
that this survey pertains to Mt. Penn. In my
opinion, the biggest problem in Mt. Penn would
be the difficulty in getting good teachers. It
would be followed by a lack of adequate
financial support, the use of drugs, lack of
discipline, poor curriculum and low standards,
and then racially integrating the schools. |
VIETNAM -
THE VETS RETURN
In the late 1960's and very early 70's a war raged in
Vietnam between the Communist group, also known
as the Viet Con, and the Army of Vietnamese. The
American people went to Vietnam to aid the Army
of the Vietnamese in their fight to maintain
their freedom from the Communist backed VC.
The young American people of the day were full of
contempt and ridicule for the soldiers returning
from Vietnam. With the "me" generation in full
swing the soldiers received no thanks or
recognition for the job they did as the veterans
of previous wars did.
Now, and only now, the veterans of Vietnam are
starting to get recognition for what they did.
Movies like Rambo, Missing in Action,
and Commando have heightened the public
awareness and patriotic attitude of the nation,
and I think it's about time.
The men who fought in that war believed in their
cause and were willing to die for it. In my
opinion, the men who fought in Vietnam deserve
all of the respect and admiration we can show
them.
- Jon Franckowiak
PREJUDICE, A LITTLE IN EVERYONE?
Is that a true statement, is there a little bit of
prejudice in everyone? I believe everyone has a
little bit of prejudice in them. For example,
how many Americans dislike Russians or Cubans?
Although they aren't known personally, they are
disliked because a few of them cause a lot of
trouble.
Prejudice is an irrational attitude of hostility
directed against an individual, a race, or their
supposed characteristics. Prejudice is very
unfair because it is based on preconceived
judgments made about a person or group before
one gets to know them or what they stand for. I
feel prejudice is a terrible way of thinking,
and is totally unfair to the minorities.
- Kerry
Motze |
CURIOSITY
Many people complain about the poor schooling their
children receive, but I think that many people
forget that half the school system is the
students. How much a students wants to learn is
directly related to how much he will learn.
Students so often complain about how much they hate
school or how boring it is, but they fail to
try. They do not fail to try to do the work, but
they fail to try to really question things, to
inquire how the sun works, how things change,
how cells multiply, how to increase vocabulary
and word power, and an endless number of other
questions.
Through the search for answers to questions, we can
lead ourselves into the study of mathematics,
the sciences, English and other branches of
knowledge. We can gain not only knowledge and
great satisfaction, but future employment as
well. So come on, aren't you just a little
curious about something?
- Michael Young
|
PENN
POST
Volume XXIX, Edition 2
November, 1985
Penn Post is
published 8 times per year by the
Journalism Class of Mt. Penn
Junior/Senior High School.
|
Staff |
| Editor |
Kelly
Grim |
|
Editorials Editor |
Pam Tucci |
| News
Editor |
Laura
Schnader |
| Features |
Julie
Hyman |
| Sports |
Kerry
Motze |
| Reporters |
Jon
Frankowiak
Dan Hafetz
I. Hatzistavrakis
Sandy Horning
Cindy Jurasinski
Kathleen Petruska
Kristen Pfahl
Marla Schnee
Nancy Snyder
Lorraine Tobias
Mike Young |
| Advisor |
Mrs.
Strickler |
|
|
|
Seniors of
the Issue |
|
DIANE CHURAN |
RANDY BOYER |
Diane
Churan is our Female Senior of the Issue. Her
favorite subject in school is Anatomy and
Physiology.
Diane enjoys her participation in many clubs. She is
president of Girls' Leader Corps, treasurer of
the senior class, sports editor of Penn Alma,
and an active member of the National Honor
Society and the Modern Language Club.
Diane also enjoys playing sports. She plays field
hockey, basketball, and baseball for Mt. Penn.
She was recently elected to the County All Star
Hockey Team.
In her spare time, Diane enjoys horse-back riding and
spending time with friends.
Diane's future plans include college for
physical therapy. She would also like to get her
masters in Sports Medicine.
- Julie Hyman |
Our Senior of the Issue, Randy Boyer was born on
November 22,1968. Randy instantly became an
active boy. He now plays basketball, volleyball,
and baseball for Mt. Penn and football on the
side.
Randy is not only athletic, but also very active in
many school clubs and organizations. He is the
president of Boys' Leader Corps, assistant
business manager of the Penn Alma, and a member
of the National Honor Society.
Randy's favorite school subjects are American
Government and Advanced Chemistry.
In his spare time, Randy enjoys playing poker with the
guys, playing basketball, watching movies, and
sleeping.
Randy's plans for the future include college with a
major in engineering.
- Julie Hyman |
MYSTERY STUDENT
Did
you guess
Brendan Kane
as the mystery student for the previous issue?
If you did, you were correct.
This issue's mystery student is a female junior who has
blonde hair and green eyes. In her spare time,
she enjoys eating, reading, and playing
basketball, which is also one of her favorite
hobbies. Her favorite class is accounting, and
she was quoted as saying "I know you are, what
am I?"
- Cindy Jurasinski
|
The man who
does not read good books has
no advantage over the man
who can't read them.
- Mark Twain |
|
DEAR HABIB
Dear Habib,
I have a severe problem and I just don't know what to
do about it. My old boyfriend keeps calling me
and bothering me. He says he just wants to be
friends, but whenever I go out with other guys,
he gives me the third degree. He is still so
hung up on me that I'm beginning to feel really
guilty. Just what should I do about it?
Sincerely,
Guilty
Dear Guilty,
You must approach this delicate situation in a tactful
manner. The first thing you must do is sit down
and talk over the matter. Be careful not to hurt
his feelings because he still likes you. Let him
know about the way you feel.
You never know, this extinct romance may blossom
into a beautiful friendship. |
|
From Our Critics |
THINNER
Are you ready for another super-natural story? Then
Stephen King's, writing as Richard Bachman, Thinner
is definitely for you to read. Billy Halleck is a
wealthy man with a good job and a nice family. His
one fault is that he is fifty pounds overweight. An
old gypsy woman is crossing the street, and Billy,
thinking of other things and not paying full
attention to driving his car, accidentally hits her.
He is found not guilty in court, but an old gypsy
man feels otherwise. This man whispers the one word,
"Thinner", to Billy as he is leaving the court room.
Billy begins to worry, and the weight starts
dropping. How can he get rid of the curse, or can't
he?
Any Stephen King reader will surely add this book to
his or her collection. It is definitely very
suspenseful and thrilling. I found it very hard to
put down before I reached the end.
- Sandy Horning
THE GOLDEN GIRLS
The new fall T.V. season is upon us, and with it always
comes a big share of bombs and a handful of hits.
One of the shows that is destined to become a hit is
The Golden Girls, which airs on Saturdays at
9 p.m. on NBC.
The Golden Girls has all the ingredients needed
for a hit comedy. It has a good plot, a fine cast,
and a razor-sharp script filled with hilarious
one-liners.
The Golden Girls was created by Susan Harris,
the woman who was also behind shows such as Soap
and Benson. It stars Bea Arthur, Betty White,
Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty.
The storyline is basically simple. Arthur, White
and McClanahan are three middle-aged women sharing a
house in Miami. Estelle Getty, who plays Bea
Arthur's mother, pops in after her nursing home
burns down. Her character, along with Arthur's,
provides most of the sharp one-liners.
Each episode usually has a serious overtone. In
the premiere, Rue McClanahan's fianc� gets into
trouble with the law. Even so, during the dramatic
scenes it is hard not to laugh at the quirky humor
of Estelle Getty.
So if you are in the mood for a unique sitcom with just
the right amount of humor and sincerity, The
Golden Girls is the show for you.
- Kathleen
Petruska |
THE COLOR PURPLE
One of the best books I've read this year is The
Color Purple by Alice Walker. The Color
Purple is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for
Fiction and the American Book Award. It is an
affecting, emotional book filled with colorful
characters.
The Color Purple tells the story of Celie, a
young black woman living in the South. Celie's life
isn't easy. She's been raped by her pa, she's
married to a tough man who doesn't love her, and she
misses her younger sister Nettie, who's a missionary
in Africa.
Celie doesn't really have anyone to talk to, so she
explains her life and tells her problems to God. It
is through these conversations with God that we
learn about Celie and come to understand her life.
One of Celie's problems is that she never stands up for
herself. Celie just takes what she gets, even though
that's very little.
Then one day her husband's lover, Shug Avery, comes to
town. Celie becomes enthralled with Shug's presence.
Through Shug, Celie learns to stand on her own two
feet and have the courage to be herself.
I thought The Color Purple was a fascinating
book. The more I read, the better I got to know the
characters. The book has such an emotional impact
that the story stays with you long after you read
it. If you want some quality reading, definitely
consider The Color Purple.
- Kathleen Petruska
AGNES OF GOD
Agnes of God, a movie adapted from a Broadway
play, takes place mostly in a convent. Sister Agnes,
a naive young nun, played by Meg Tilly has a baby
which is murdered immediately after birth. Jane
Fonda, who plays a investigating psychiatrist is
sent to find out if Sister Agnes is competent to
stand trial. She becomes very emotionally involved
and continually encounters Anne Bancroft,. who plays
a protective and devious Mother Superior. 'There are
many important skeletons in the past, which must be
uncovered to reveal the outcome. It is a different
type of movie portrayed by great actresses, but it
does leave one feeling depressed. I really don't
feel it would appeal to most guys.
- Sandy Horning |
THE PROMISE
If your looking for a good book, The Promise by
Oanielle Steele is a good place to start. As with
most of Oanielle Steele's books, you simply can not
put it down.
The Promise is about a happy couple who want to
be married. The only thing stopping them is
Michael's mother, who is very wealthy and thinks he
can do better than Nancy, his fianc�. One night
Nancy and Michael decide to elope. As they drive
off, the dream of the happiest night of their lives
turns out to be tragedy.
The ambulance arrives after the car accident and takes
them to the hospital. Nancy, who went through the
windshield, has no face.
Later in the hospital, Michael's mother finds out that
her son isn't in too bad condition. She also finds
out it will take about a half-million dollars to
give Nancy a new face. A proposition is soon offered
to Nancy by Michael's mother, she will pay for her
new face if she promises never to try to find
Michael, only Michael can find her.
Nancy knows Michael loves her and will try to find her.
The only thing she doesn't know is that Michael's
mother told her son that Nancy was dead.
As you can see this book is very interesting and gets
even more interesting as you read on. So go to any
bookstore and pick up this must-read book.
- Pam Tucci
ST. ELMO'S FIRE
Released over the summer, St. Elmo's Fire is a
movie dealing with the after-college lives of seven
friends. In it we meet Leslie, Wendy, and Jules; as
well as Kevin, Kirby, Alec, and Billy, all of whom
are played by popular young stars. We see each of
them dealing with their problems in their own ways
and becoming mature independent adults.
They are also trying to hold onto their pasts by paying
regular visits to their college hangout, St. Elmo's
Bar. Not visiting St. Elmo's symbolizes letting go
of the past and starting fresh, which is what the
seven must do.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first saw "St.
Elmo's Fire", but I was very pleased with what I
got. I have so far seen it four times, and I'm ready
to go for five!
- Nancy Snyder |
New Students
FRESHMAN
NATHAN LATERZA came to Mt. Penn from Berks
Christian School. His favorite classes are art and
algebra. His least favorite subject is English. A
difference he has noticed is student's carrying
cigarettes here, which was not allowed at Berks.
Nathan's hobby is computers.
LUIS GALEN came to Mt. Penn from Southern
Junior High. His favorite subject is math; his least
favorite is English. Luis says that Mt. Penn is
smaller than Southern. His hobby is also computers.
JENNY REARDEN went to Wyomissing before
coming to Mt. Penn. Her favorite class is English;
her least favorite is biology. Jenny says that Mt.
Penn is smaller than Wyomissing.
8TH GRADE
MICHELLE QUELL came from Southern Junior
High. Her favorite subjects are health and math. She
doesn't have a least favorite subject, and she has
noticed no changes at Mt. Penn compared to Southern.
Her hobbies include baton
twirling.
KEVIN TOLLAND is also from Southern. His
favorite subjects are gym, art, and health. His
least favorite are history and reading. Kevin says
the only difference he has noticed is that Mt. Penn
is smaller. Kevin's hobbies include drawing and
helping h is father build car motors.
LORI STOUDT came from Exeter Junior High. Her
favorite subjects are English and history. Compared
to Mt. Penn, Lori says there are more people in
Exeter. Her hobbies include swimming, baseball and
basketball.
KELLY O'NEILL came to Mt. Penn from Mifflin
and Tulpehocken. Her favorite subjects are reading
and math. Her least favorite is history. The only
differences she has noticed at Mt. Penn are being
able to go to her locker between classes and not
being able to wear shorts without permission.
TINA WERTZ comes from Governor Mifflin. Her
favorite subjects are math, history, and science.
Tina says that the only changes she's noticed at Mt.
Penn are the people, the lunchroom, and the
classrooms. Her hobbies include playing sports.
- Jon Frankowiak |
HOW TO BECOME A BETTER STUDENT
Many
teachers will agree that most students could and
should improve themselves as students. Here are some
suggestions from our teachers and our principal.
One of the most common responses was "read as much as
possible." Mrs. LaPorte, one of the read believers,
also said we should "learn to accept responsibility
for ourselves."
The other responses included Miss Brobst's "develop
pride in yourself and your work and do the best you
can do," which is basically the same as Mrs. Haag's
"positive thinking above all" We also had the "do
your homework" response from some teachers and Mr.
Ranck's "less apathy toward everything" and Mr.
Orlando's "Enjoy yourself."
I do know all the possible ways to improve have not
been said, but these are great ideas, and maybe one
can help you become a better student and perhaps
even a better person.
- Michael Young |
THOUGHTS TO
THINK ABOUT
To inquire is not to suggest stupidity, but to
suggest curiosity, a foreshadow of ingenuity.
Listen to people rather than just hear them; you will
find they are more intelligent than you think.
The only obstacle between you and your dreams is your
doubt.
- Michael Young
|
Perhaps the most valuable result of all
education is the ability to make
yourself do the thing you have to do,
when it ought to be
done, whether you like it or not; it is
the first lesson that ought to be
learned; and however early a man's
training begins, it is probably the last
lesson that he learns thoroughly. -
Thomas Huxlev |
|
The
person who knows how will always have a
job. But the person who knows why will
be his boss. - Carl C. Wood |
|
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
In the Open House program prepared for your parents,
specific advice was provided them as to what they
can do to assist you in achieving higher grades or
success in school. In addition to that advice, there
are some very basic methods you can utilize to "get
straight A's."
| - |
Never
miss a class. Sit up front so you won't
be distracted and can hear well. Always
do your assignments before you go to
class so you'll know exactly what the
teacher is talking about. Take notes and
if necessary rewrite them before the
next class - it's a better way to absorb
them and you'll actually learn the
material while rewriting. |
| - |
When you
take an exam, read all the questions
first and jot down key points for the
answer. Then answer the easiest
questions first. If you get hung up on a
later question, at least you will have
completed part of the test. And
answering the easiest first builds
confidence and lets your mind think
about the harder questions on a back
burner while you are answering the
easier one. |
These are
not guarantees that you will achieve straight A's;
however, they're worth a try as you have nothing to
lose and everything to gain.
S.A.C. - Strategic Air Command? Students Against
Communism? Skeleton Ate Cucumbers? No, S.A.C. is an
anacronym for the student advisory committee - a
committee of students formed to voice your concerns
about what is happening in school. The committee
meets with me a minimum of once a month, or whenever
the students deem it necessary, and is composed of
Leon Pace, Brendan Kane, Audrey Acker, and Mindy
Snyder. The agenda items for each meeting will be
prepared by the students; therefore, if you have a
concern, seek out one of the aforementioned students
and ask him to put the topic on the agenda.
The formation of this committee does not negate your
opportunity to make an appointment to personally
meet with me regarding any concerns you might have.
It does, however, attempt to guarantee you a voice
that expresses your concerns on a regular basis. |
FTA LOLLIPOP SALE
The FTA (Future Teachers of America) Club sponsored a
lollipop sale for Sweet Remembrance Day, November
8th.
The lollipops were sold for 50rt and another quarter if
you didn't want your name revealed. The lollipops
that were sold were giant rainbow suckers.
Mrs. Haag, the club advisor, said that the lollipop
sale is usually a big fund raiser and that Steve
Reis has been invaluable addition to the club as
vice-president in charge of fund raising.
- Jon
Franckowiak
INVASION
Were those actual creatures invading our school on
October 3?
Of course not. They were the Y -Teen initiates who
paraded strange outfits consisting of diapers,
homemade hats, and other unusual items. The members
of Y-Teens made them sing, dance, skip and even roll
down the hall.
This ritual, which takes place each year, enables the
new members to participate in the Y-Teen activities
year round.
- Cindy Jurasinski
SOPHOMORE SALES
Starting November 4, each sophomore student will be
selling inexpensive gifts that will arrive before
the winter holidays. You can see any sophomore for
information about this. The sophomore class also is
going to be selling sweatshirts, sweatpants, and
other articles of clothing that will be shown in the
glass window near the office. The articles of
clothing will have a Mount Penn design on them. The
profits will go in the sophomore treasury. To order
any of these articles of clothing see Jason Miller,
Kerry Motze, Kathleen Petruska, Sandy Horning or
Miss Weaver.
- Sandy Horning
ANNUAL CITRUS SALE
Each year the band, bandfront, and chorus sell citrus
fruit, and this year was no exception. The sale
began on October 20 and lasted until November 25.
Pink grapefruit, tangelo, hamlin, and navel oranges
were sold. Each type of fruit could be bought in a
4/5 bushel box, a 2/5 bushel bag, or a 1/5 bushel
bag. The prices ranged from $4.00 to $15.00.
Cash prizes were given to the high salesperson for each
week, and to the overall high salesperson.
The profit made from the sale will be used to purch2se
new band uniforms, and possibly for an electric
piano for chorus. It will also be used for the
annual Hershey Park trip in June.
There is a possibility of a second citrus sale where
Sunkist oranges and apples may be added.
- Nancy Snyder |
SCIENCE CLUB
This year's Science Club, led by Miss Brobst started
off the 1985-86 school year with
sign up the week of September 9th
thru the 16th. Approximately 40 students in grades
9-12 signed up.
Miss Brobst will be meeting with the Executive Board
soon to discuss plans for the upcoming year's
activities. Some tentative plans include a trip to
the National Aquarium at Baltimore Harbor in the
Spring and a trip to Winterthur.
Science Club officers:
Brendan Kane - president
Chris Malinowski
- VP
Heather Hill - secretary
Jason Miller - treasurer
- Jon Franckowiak
F.B.LA.
On October 15th, the F.B.L.A. went to Twin Valley High
School for work-shops and really learned what the
club was all about. They met with students from all
the different schools in the county and met the
state and Regional officers.
They had two workshops and then there was a buffet
dinner. After that there was an awards assembly.
The ten people that went from Mt. Penn really had a
good time: Audrey Acker who is the president said
this was the best turn out from Mt. Penn. The next
event taking place is a National Convention in
Baltimore, Maryland.
- Marla Schnee
BONUS BOOK SALE
The Boys' Leader Corps has had it's yearly bonus book
sale. The bonus books are full of coupons that save
money on not only fast food restaurants, but leisure
restaurants, fitness centers, bowling, miniature
golf and more, for only $25.00 for a booklet.
- Michael Young
OPEN HOUSE
Mount Penn's annual open house was held on October 17,
1985. It started at 6:30 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m.
The purpose of the open house is to give students'
parents the opportunity to meet their teachers.
This year, some members of the National Junior Honor
Society acted as hosts and hostesses for the
evening.
In addition to the open house, a book fair was
also held. Many current paper-backs were made
available. Each book's price was lowered ten
percent.
- Kathleen Petruska |
MISSING GRADUATES
The class of 1965 is planning their twentieth class
reunion, but a few. of the students from that
graduating class are not able to be located. The
addresses of these people are needed so they will be
able to participate in this memorable event. If you
have any information on these people, please send
the information to the school through the Penn Post.
Here are the Missing Graduates:
ERIC ERLBAUM
MICHAEL RICHARDS
FRED FAWCETT
ELLIS HECKMAN
BARRY SANTEE
JAMES LUTZ
JOHN HOWELL
THOMAS HOLLAND
BARBARA LIS
MARSHA SCHELL
- Danny Hafetz
COMPUTER UPDATES THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Computers are involved in everything these days, and
the music world is no exception. We've recently
added an Apple IIE Duo-Disc System computer to the
Music Department.
The computer will be used to help many different
people. The band and chorus members will be able to
refresh their music skills with programmed materials
or theory. It can also be used in Music Theory
Classes, and will be used in some of the junior high
music classes. Mr. Ruch can use the computer for
grading purposes, too.
Mr. Ruch will explain to the students how the computer
works; they will practice music skills on the
computer. It will be very beneficial to the students
and the Music Department.
- Nancy Snyder
Y-TEENS HALLOWEEN PARTY FOR UNICEF
The Y-Teens have a Halloween party every year for a
worthy cause, UNICEF. This is a fu n get together
with lots of goodies and lots of friends to show off
your costumes to.
All the Y-Teens first go out trick-or-treating as if
reminiscing the past. Instead of treats, however,
they collect money for UNICEF. After they finish
trick-or-treating, they all meet back at the school
for their party.
- Lorraine Tobias
|
Education makes a people easy to lead,
but difficult to drive; easy to govern
but impossible to enslave. |
|
New
Students
SEVENTH GRADE
MIKE BRIZEK came to Mt. Penn from Exeter. His
favorite subjects include math, history, and
English. He dislikes science. He feels that the
schedule is better at Mt. Penn than at Exeter, and
the rooms are different here. Mike enjoys collecting
coins in his free time.
DAVID HARING came to Mt. Penn from
Jacksonwald Elementary School. His favorite subjects
are math and spelling. He dislikes English, science,
and history. David says that he didn't have health
or typing at Jacksonwald. He likes to play football
and watch television.
ZAK HOFFER attended Westmont Elementary
School before coming to Mt. Penn. His favorite
subjects are math and history, but Zak dislikes
reading. He feels that there is more freedom at Mt.
Penn than at Westmont. In his spare time, Zak likes
to ride his bike, play soccer and build models.
BRANDI SCHEURING came to Mt. Penn from Oley
Valley Middle School. Her favorite subjects are
typing, English, and math. She dislikes art, music,
and history. Brandi says that the classrooms at Mt.
Penn are arranged differently from Oley. In her
spare time, Brandi swims, skates, and waterskis.
TINA TOLLAND went to Tyson-Schoener before
coming to Mt. Penn. She likes math, history, and
library. She dislikes reading, science and English.
Tina says that Mt. Penn is bigger than Tyson
Schoener. In her spare time, Tina enjoys collecting
sea shells or sleeping.
DAVID KRAFT attended Lorane Elementary School
before coming to Mt. Penn. His favorite subjects are
history and reading. He dislikes math and science.
David has noticed that our lunch rules are
different. He also feels that our whole school is
run differently. David's hobbies include collecting
baseball cards and doing well in school.
ZACHARY LUDWIG came to Mt. Penn from Exeter.
His favorite subjects are math and computers. His
least favorite class is science. He says that Mt.
Penn's students are nicer than Exeter's. In his
spare time, Zachary likes to read or play baseball.
JUNIOR
JENNY DeCESARE came to Mt. Penn from
Phillipsburg High School which is in New Jersey. Her
favorite subject is Cosmetology. Jenny says her
least favorite subject is Math. When I asked her
what is different about Mt. Penn from her other
school she said the people. Her hobbies are skating
and riding horses. |
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
CONFERENCE
As part of
their continuing education, some of last year's
physics students will be attending a nuclear physics
conference at Penn State University, main campus, in
December. These students, now seniors, had nuclear
physics last spring and are extending their
experience with the PSU program.
During the conference, they will participate in nuclear
physics experiments and will tour a nuclear reactor
where the radioactive block is visible and the
reactions can be seen. At the area nuclear plants
the operation itself is a closed system, and the
reaction is displayed on slides only.
This program is held twice a year at PSU, but this is
the first time our students have had the opportunity
to attend.
CUTTING UP IN A&P
The anatomy and physiology class will be dissecting
cats and fetal pigs for the first time. The students
were so enthusiastic about this experience that they
are voluntarily paying for their own specimens since
no money was allocated for them.
Most of the students in this class hope to go into the
health field and wanted the experience of dissecting
before starting college courses. Seeing the actual
placement of anatomical structures is a valuable
visual aid. Many high schools offer this experience
in their science programs.
MAGAZINE DRIVE
The Magazine Drive was held on September 9 until
September 23. The students in grades 7th, 8th, and
9th participated. The homeroom with the highest
sales will win a stuffed gorilla and also a pizza
party for the entire class. Individual salesmen are
also awarded separately for the goals that they
achieved.
This year something new and different will be
happening. When all of the prizes arrive, there will
be a drawing. The winner of this drawing will
receive a Cabbage Patch Doll.
To help with the sales, each homeroom elected a
captain. The captain chosen has the responsibility
of collecting the money from his/her classmates. The
captains of 7th grade are Christa Ettele, Joseph
Pocrass, and Kristen Stoss. For 8th grade the
captains were Corina Davis, Steve Goodhart, and
Gregory Pocrass. The captains for the 9th grade are
Christal Dunn, Mike Henry, and Jenny Reimert.
- Kristen Pfahl |
IMPORTANT DATES IN
U.S. EDUCATION
1635 The Boston Latin School,
the first secondary school in the American colonies,
began classes.
1636 Massachusetts charted Harvard College,
the first college in the American colonies.
1642 Massachusetts passed an education law
requiring parents to teach their children to read.
1647 Massachusetts became the first American
colony to require the establishment of public
elementary and secondary schools.
1785 Georgia chartered the first state
university.
1833 Oberlin College became the first
coeducational college in the U.s.
1852 Massachusetts passed the first
compulsory school-attendance law in the U.S.
1874 The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that
taxes could be collected to support public schools.
1908 FIRST MT. PENN HIGH
SCHOOL OPENED
1917 Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act,
the first act to provide federal funds for
vocational education below college level.
1923 THE PRESENT MT. PENN
HIGH SCHOOL OPENED.
1944 Congress passed the first G.I. Bill,
granting funds to veterans to continue their
education.
1954 The U.s. Supreme Court ruled that public
schools segregated by race are unequal and therefore
unconstitutional. 1958
FINAL ADDITION ON THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS BEGUN. This
includes the gym and the math wing.
1965 Congress passed the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act to aid local schools and to
improve the education of children from low income
families.
- Irene Hatzistavrakis
BOOK FAIR
This year the Reading Program for kindergarten through
twelfth grade held a Book Fair. This Book Fair was
held on October 2 during school hours in the high
school gym. It was also for the first time
incorporated into the Open House. If you attended
the Book Fair, you might have noticed that all of
the books had a 10% discount off of the cover value.
The reading teachers are hoping to have this Book Fair
every year. The profit made from the sale is going
towards buying books for the high school reading
teachers, Mr. Segro and Mrs. Krick. Thanks to Mrs.
Gernerd and Mrs. Hinnershitz for having made this
Book Fair a success.
- Kristen Pfahl |
Sports
FIELD HOCKEY
The
Field Hockey Team has done very well this season.
Varsity worked through the rest of the season by
defeating Oley Valley and Schuylkill Valley. Losing
but putting up a good fight against Twin Valley,
Central Catholic, and Hamburg came next. They beat
Wyomissing and tied Daniel Boone, who placed first
in their division. Varsity ended the season with two
wins against Oley Valley and Twin Valley. Their
final record is 6-5-1. Varsity placed third in their
division this year.
J .V. has had only one loss this season which was to
Hamburg. They also ended the season with two wins
against Oley Valley and Twin Valley. Their final
record is 9-1-5.
- Sandy Horning
SINGLE STANDOUTS
Even
though the soccer team and hockey team did not win
their division, they still had individuals who were
acknowledged for their achievements on their
respected teams.
Diane Churan of the hockey team was
selected to the Berks All-County Team for her
outstanding efforts in hockey.
Sally
Ford, also on the hockey team, was
selected to the All Division Team. Diane played the
left line position while Sally played the left inner
position.
The soccer team had two players acknowledged for
their efforts in soccer.
Leon
Pace who played striker and
goalie and Kerry Motze who played center half back
were both selected to the Berks All-County team
honorable mention. Congratulations to these athletes
for their achievements and hope that the teams will
keep having individuals who excel at each and every
sport.
- Danny Hafetz |
|
Outstanding Athletes |
|
KELLY
CLARK |
EVAN
SPOHN |
The female athlete of this issue is
Kelly Clark,
the left back on the Varsity hockey
team. Kelly also participates in
volleyball and cheerleading. She is in
National Honor Society and is an officer
of Y-Teens and Girls Leader Corps.
In her spare time she enjoys drawing, being with her
friends and participating in sports.
Kelly has done very well this hockey
season and Mrs. Thomas was pleased with
her performance.
- Sandy Horning |
Evan Spohn,
the male athlete of the issue, is the
number one man on the golf team and has
done very well this year. He went to
Counties and shot an 80 in the first
round. In the second round he shot an
91, giving him a total of 171, which put
him in eighth place.
Playing football and basketball, listening to the
radio, watching T.V., and going out with
friends are some of the things he enjoys
doing in his spare time.
- Sandy Horning |
|
GOLFERS GO TO
DISTRICTS
On Tuesday,
October 22 three of Mt. Penn's golfers played in the
District 3 tournament in York. Derek Hutchenson,
Evan
Spohn, and Danny Hafetz competed with
individuals from many schools in District 3 to
qualify for the state championship which was held at
Penn State on Monday, October 28. It was a two day
tournament with a cut after the first day of play.
The top 40 and ties qualified for the next days
round. Players from Berks county did qualify for the
second round including Mt. Penn's Danny Hafetz.
- Danny Hafetz |
SOCCER
The soccer
team, after jumping out to a quick 2-0 league start,
lost a couple games in a row to drop the league
record to 2-4. Our team has had very little success
in non-league games, losing every one. Mt. Penn has
had a very hard-working team this year, giving the
better teams tough, close games.
This year's soccer season had its ups and downs, and
its fair share of dramatically close games. The
Mounts league record ended up at 5-6-1. Next year's
team will have plenty of experience.
- Kerry Motze
 |
GOLF SEASON COMES TO
AN END
Suffering an
early loss to a very consistent Reading High Squad,
the golf team needed to win every other match to win
the division title. They did play well against the
eventual division champs, the Fleetwood Tigers. They
then lost two extremely close matches against them.
The total amount of strokes they lost by in both of
the matches was five.
The team has nothing to be ashamed of by finishing 64,
and in third behind Fleetwood and Exeter. The loss
of senior
Evan Spohn
could hurt next year's team a little, but four
sophomores and a junior will be returning. Coach
Fegely feels the team can do it next year if all the
players do return.
- Danny Hafetz |
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