DROPS OF INK Published by the Students of Libertyville Township High School, Libertyville, Illinois
LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS, SEPTEMBER 26, 2017
VOLUME XCI
Hate Has No Home' at LHS
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Having an accepting school environment is vital to every school. It allows students to feel more comfortable at school, therefore making it easier for them to focus on their education. Having that acceptance also allows students of a variety of backgrounds and orientations to develop confidence in themselves and their beliefs. This acceptance has been expressed at our school in the past few years through a variety of clubs and campaigns students and staff have participated in. These organizations have brought the student body together with a common sense of tolerance. Two years ago, the Gay/Straight Alliance at LHS started offering “safe space” stickers for teachers to display in their classrooms in order to inform members of the LGBTQ community that they are valued and respected at our school. Many students have similar “no hate” stickers on their Chromebooks to help spread this message further around the school. They reflect the welcoming atmosphere that the administration and staff has helped create for the LGBTQ community at Libertyville over the past few years.
Read full story on page 18 Teachers Who Went to LHS
The Centennial Issue
Six events that shaped Libertyville's history
NUMBER 1
DOI Issue Schedule October 24 November 14 December 12 Febuary 13 March 13 April 17 May 15 New changes made to LHS this year
When students returned from summer vacation, they came back to many new changes around the school: a new greeting for the student body, a new principal, a big construction plan that adjusted student and staff parking, an addition to the MASH, new turf on the football field Over the past 100 years, Libertyville has experienced many significant events, some of which are and a new cafeteria feature. described below. Over the summer, a new welcome sign was placed in front of the main entrance. The main background color changed from white to black, Woman’s Land Army (1917) with the words “Welcome to” in orange, “Libertyville High School” in During World War I, it was common for city girls to replace the farm jobs of their families while they white, and then “Home of the Wildcats!” in orange. The school’s logo, an were fighting in the war. This pursuit was called the Woman’s Land Army of America (WLAA). The orange wildcat, is displayed on the bottom left. WLAA was the foundation for other women’s movements in America. Tending to the farms was not Last year, Dr. Marina Scott retired as the principal of LHS. At the end just a temporary project to provide food for the people; it was also meant to train women to work in of February, Dr. Tom Koulentes was appointed as the new principal and agriculture so they would develop the skills necessary not only while their families were away, but in on July 1, he officially started his position (Find out more about Dr. K the future. The Illinois WLAA recruited “farmerettes” to work on the farms. They needed donations on pages 22-23). for agricultural equipment because there was no government funding. Six Libertyville farmerettes Another change to the school is the new pool construction. The brought their tractors to Chicago to level Grant Park’s grounds for a war exposition. The training farm current pool has been at LHS since 1971. Construction began earlier in Libertyville seemed to have a promising future. According to Sonia Schoenfield’s blog post on Shelf this month and is projected to end in February 2019, according to the Life, “The Illinois Training Farm of Libertyville proved to the world that women could successfully farm, Daily Herald. The pool building will be separate from the school but will and proved to the women that such work was fulfilling, noble and a worthy result of a single year’s connect through a hallway. farm output.”
Read full story on page 4
Find out on pages 16-17 Scan this QR code to get the lhsdoi.com website
Train Robbery (1924) On June 12, 1924, the largest train robbery in U.S. history occurred in Rondout on the Milwaukee Road line. The heist was completed by an eight-man crew, including professional thieves and a corrupt law enforcement officer. Many trains in the twentieth century would carry the post office’s cash and other valuables. Around 10 p.m., the train slowed in Rondout, where two of the thieves “walked out from behind their hiding place dressed as railroad workers, holding red lanterns to get the train to stop. The rest of the gang had arrived driving stolen Cadillacs. They lined the cars up to provide light for the robbers to see what they were doing,” said Thomas Hiller’s blog post on “Shelf Life.” After forcing the engine crew to stop the train, the thieves moved 63 postal bags into the stolen cars in less than 25 minutes.
Read full story on pages 6-7
A Walk Through LHS Sports History ON PAGES 21-22
2017-2018 Staff Listing Hannah Hutchins, Editor-in-Chief Maria Thames, Editor-in-Chief Savanna Winiecki, Online Editor Lola Akinlade, Features Editor Rachel Benner, Features Editor Maggie Burnetti, Sports Editor Matt Smith, Sports Editor Sam Nelson, Photo Editor Olivia Griffith, Layout Editor Maddie Wasser, Social Media Editor Paula Baworska Anya Belomoina Amanda Black Molly Boufford Ariella Bucio Jenna Carnazzola Ian Cox Olivia Devin Rachel Dudley Moira Duffy Maggie Evers Megan Fahey Katie Felsl Lizzie Foley Zachary Ford OIivia Gauvin Demi Glusic Jenna Grayson Kath Haidvogel Emily Hamilton Dylan Heimert Abbey Humbert Maggie Hutchins Ben Kanches Jacob Kemp Corey Kuchler Allie Kuhlman Anna Legutki Stephanie Luce Elizabeth Manley Ella Marsden Colleen Mullins Kylie Rodriguez Claire Salemi Bulat Schamiloglu Kelly Shinnick Brandon Simberg Lanie Storiz Nate Sweitzer Dylan Trott Megan Wolter Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact us at doi@lhswildcats.org
To stay updated on the latest LHS news, follow our social media accounts. Also, check out our website at www.lhsdoi.com
@lhsdoi
Libertyville High School Drops of Ink
@lhsdoi
We are proud to announce that we have been named a finalist for the National Scolastic Press Association Pacemaker Award. According to the NSPA, “The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” said Laura Widmer, executive director. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.” The website also states that “In addition to demonstrating excellence in key areas including coverage, writing, editing, design and photography, the winning newspapers took risks and served as a strong voice for its student audience.”
Michael Gluskin, Faculty Adviser
September 26, 2017
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Focus 6-7
News
Six events that shaped Libertyville’s history
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While none of the events featured here are current, they certainly impacted the community. These six events, ranging from 1917 to 1980, give an insight into some of Libertyville’s history.
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New changes made to LHS this year
With the start of a new school year, LHS has a plethora of changes, including the new welcome sign, the salad bar and the turf on the football field.
Blast From the Past
As time has passed, the community has changed in ways both big and small. In this photo story, landmarks and locations all across Libertyville are seen “then” and “now.”
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Feature
100 facts for 100 years
22-23
To celebrate 100 years, here are 100 facts about different events and quirky throwbacks from the school and our town.
16-17
Among the many changes this year is the brand-new principal, Dr. Tom Koulentes. Learn here about his past, present and future both inside and outside of school.
Libertyville - Taught Teachers
Some of the teachers here actually attended school at LHS. This story looks at their high school lives, why they chose to return to Libertyville High School and their lives as teachers.
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Opinion
Hate Has No Home at LHS
With the institution of various clubs, campaigns and small signs around the school, the LHS community has become more accepting. Staff member Rachel Dudley expresses her opinion on why this is a good thing.
20-21
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The face of a student leader
This issue’s staff editorial looks at what it means to be a student leader and role model, and what the standards should be for such a public position.
A Walk Through LHS Sports History
This graphic showcases the various accomplishments, acheivements and progress sports programs and players have made since LHS’s start. Cover by Livi Griffith Table of Contents by Hannah Hutchins Contents
Welcoming a New Wildcat
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Face-Off: The First Amendemnt
The First Amendment outlines the freedom of speech for everyone, but is there a point when this right should be taken away? Editor-in-chief Maria Thames and Features Editor Lola Akinlade face off on the freedom of speech vs. the freedom of hate. 3
Drops of Ink
NewchangesmadetoLHSthisyear ByBrandonSimberg
Photo by Elizabeth Manley Theoldwelcomesignwasreplacedbyafresh,newone,whichcanbefoundwhenenteringthehighschoolgrounds’mainentrance. When students returned from summer vacation, they came back to many new changes around the school: a new greeting for the student body, a new principal, a big construction plan that adjusted student and staff parking, an addition to the MASH, new turf on the football field and a new cafeteria feature. Over the summer, a new welcome sign was placed in front of the main entrance. The main background color changed from white to black, with the words “Welcome to” in orange, “Libertyville High School” in white, and then “Home of the Wildcats!” in orange. The school’s logo, an orange wildcat, is displayed on the bottom left. Last year, Dr. Marina Scott retired as the principal of LHS. At the end of February, Dr. Tom Koulentes was appointed as the new principal and on July 1, he officially started his position. (Find out more about Dr. K on pages 22-23.) Another change to the school is the new pool construction. The current pool has been at LHS since 1971. Construction began earlier this month and is projected to end in February 2019, according to the Daily Herald. The pool building will be separate from the school but will be connected by a hallway. The pool impacts the senior and junior classes because, due to the construction, changes had to be made to the parking situations. Seniors can now only park in the main lot and must enter by the tennis courts. The back lot is reserved exclusively for teachers, which means less seniors received parking passes. Because there are fewer spots, only seniors with Brainerd parking passes can park at the Brainerd lot.There are spots available at Dymond as well as across Butler Lake for juniors. Inside the building itself, a major change was made with the Write
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Place. This resource center moved from room 166, which was near the library, into the MASH. “The biggest factor was that we wanted to use that space for a [theater] classroom,” said the English department supervisor, Mr. Paul Reiff. “We are now in the same room as all the other disciplines, and I like the message that that sends.” The Write Place will still operate the same as it did before. Students can walk in or make an appointment online to get help with their writing from the teacher who is there. This summer, the school also replaced the turf on the football field. “I like the new turf way better than the old turf,” said senior Alex Stanulis, who is the quarterback and a captain on the football team. “It is much softer and easier on the legs.” In addition, a change was made in the lunchroom when a brand-new salad bar was added. Mr. Daniel Lyon, the food service director, had been trying to add a salad bar for the past few years. “Four years ago, I drew up a proposal showing quotes, how much it would cost, what kind of labor that would be needed for the process,” said Mr. Lyon. That request was denied, as was his request two years ago. “So finally I got an email at the beginning of June, asking if we could get a salad bar implemented by the first day of school,” Mr. Lyon explained. “I already had all the numbers from the previous proposal and it was no issue.” According to Mr. Lyon, the reviews for the salad bar have been excellent. He said he gets many compliments from students and teachers about it: “I’m happy we finally got it, I think it is one of the best things we have gotten in a long time.”
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100 In honor of the 100th year of LHS, we present you with our first focus issue of the 2017-2018 school year: The Centennial Issue. As you can see, this page features a compilation of black-and-white photos of what our school currently looks like. When you flip this page, you’ll see more black-and-white pictures of LHS and Libertyville but from the past, showing how much has changed over the last century. The pages that follow also include various stories about the past, present and future of our school and town. By Hannah Hutchins and Maria Thames Layout by Maria Thames Photos by Maria Thames
Focus Cover
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Six events that shaped Libertyville’s history
By Savanna Winiecki
Over the past 100 years, Libertyville has experienced many significant events, some of which are described below. Note: The research for all of the following news stories came from “Shelf Life,” a Cook Memorial Public Library District blog, except for “JFK Campaigned at Cook Park” and “Rouse Murders.”
Train Robbery (1924)
Woman’s Land Army (1917)
On June 12, 1924, the largest train robbery in U.S. history occurred in Rondout on the Milwaukee Road line. The heist was completed by an eight-man crew, including professional thieves and a corrupt law enforcement officer. Many trains in the twentieth century would carry the post office’s cash and other valuables. Around 10 p.m., the train slowed in Rondout, where two of the thieves “walked out from behind their hiding place dressed as railroad workers, holding red lanterns to get the train to stop. The rest of the gang had arrived driving stolen Cadillacs. They lined the cars up to provide light for the robbers to see what they were doing,” said Thomas Hiller’s blog post on “Shelf Life.” After forcing the engine crew to stop the train, the thieves moved 63 postal bags into the stolen cars in less than 25 minutes. Within four months of the robbery, the police had caught all of the robbers, who would soon be on trial. All eight men were convicted; however, they received light sentences. It was reported that $1.5 million of the $3 million was recovered and the remainder of the money’s location is still a mystery. The film “The Newton Boys” is based on some of the thieves’ careers involving this robbery.
During World War I, it was common for city girls to replace the farm jobs of their families while the men were fighting in the war. This pursuit was called the Woman’s Land Army of America (WLAA). The WLAA was the foundation for other women’s movements in America. Tending to the farms was not just a temporary project to provide food for the people; it trained women to work in agriculture so they would develop the skills necessary not only while their families were away, but in the future. The Illinois WLAA recruited “farmerettes” to work on the farms. They needed donations for agricultural equipment because there was no government funding. Six Libertyville farmerettes brought their tractors to Chicago to level Grant Park’s grounds for a war exposition. The training farm in Libertyville seemed to have a promising future. According to Sonia Schoenfield’s blog post on Shelf Life, “The Illinois Training Farm of Libertyville proved to the world that women could successfully farm, and proved to the women that such work was fulfilling, noble and a worthy result of a single year’s farm output.”
Libertyville Independent, October 17, 1918, sect. 2, p.1 This part of a newspaper article from 1918 describes the prosperity of the Woman’s Land Army.
Focus News
Courtesy of Jim Moran. Some postal bags were recovered after the robbery, however it was reported that only half of the $3 million stolen was retrieved.
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JFK Campaigned at Cook Park (1960)
Floods (1938, 1960, 1962)
Information from the Libertyville Review’s 2008 article, “When JFK campaigned in Libertyville.”
Libertyville was affected by three major floods within a 24-year span, in the years of 1938, 1960 and 1962. In 1938, the flood was caused by an abundance of rain in a short period of time, and the amount of water accumulated quickly increased. The water levels caused approximately $1 million worth of property damage. Butler Lake flooded, causing water to flow onto Lake Street and closing the road until things returned to normal. Despite the waters rising so quickly, only one life was lost. In the spring of 1960, Libertyville was hit hard with another flood. The prior winter had received a great deal of snow that stayed through March, but the rapid increase of temperature melted the snow, causing major flooding. The Des Plaines River rose a significant amount, especially on April 2 when a rainstorm caused it to rise six inches in eight hours. The damage hit the new 150-house subdivision called North Libertyville Estates. Around 100 households were displaced and individuals had to stay elsewhere in the meantime. Two years later, in March of 1962, a very similar flood impacted Libertyville because of meltwater from snow. Similar to the flood in 1960, North Libertyville Estates was effected. Even though “the village hadn’t wanted the subdivision built so close to the Des Plaines River at all,” said Hiller on his “Shelf Life” blog post. Again, 100 to 120 houses were displaced, but citizens had more time to get out of the way of the flood since there wasn’t any additional rain like in 1960.
John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States who ran against his Republican opponent Richard Nixon in the 1960 election. Kennedy defeated Nixon in one the closest presidential elections in history, according to ushistory.org. The Democratic presidential candidate traveled to the traditionally Republican Lake County by motorcade. On Oct. 25, 1960, Kennedy gave a brief address in Cook Memorial Park around 10:50 a.m. The crowd was estimated at 7,000 people, many of whom held red, white and blue posters and signs. A Kennedy banner also hung from the pillars of the Ansel B. Cook Home. When Kennedy addressed the crowd, he “received a howling ovation,” according to The Independent-Register newspaper. The candidate continued his campaign after his Libertyville visit and was elected as the U.S. president two weeks later. The video of Kennedy’s speech at Cook Memorial Park can be found on YouTube.
Independent-Register on July 8, 1938. The 1938 flood resulted in $1 million of damage, severely affecting Libertyville citizens and the town as a whole. Rouse Murders (1980)
Photo by Associated Press; Courtesy of the Daily Herald John F. Kennedy campaigned in Libertyville at the Ansel B. Cook Home prior to his election in 1960.
Information from a 2014 Drops of Ink article, “Libertyville’s Own ‘American Horror Story’.” A mansion in unincorporated Libertyville had experienced three separate horrific events within a 22-year time frame. On June 6, 1980, Libertyville civilians Bruce and Darlene Rouse, who owned a chain of gas stations and cable services, were murdered in their bedroom within their 13-bedroom mansion. The case had remained unsolved until 15 years later when their youngest son, Billy Rouse, confessed on camera to the murder of his parents. The night of the murder, Billy recalled getting into a fight with his mother after she smelled alcohol on him and threatened to send him to military school. At 2:30 a.m., Billy took his father’s shotgun and shot his mother in the face and then shot, stabbed and beat his father in their bed. In August 1996, Billy was sentenced to 80 years in prison. Investigation Discovery, a television network that focuses on crime documentaries, aired an episode on Oct. 10, 2015, titled “Murder Mansion,” which featured the Rouse murder. Members of the Chicago mob later owned the Rouse’s mansion and opened a cocktail lounge and casino. “In 1983, bookkeeper Robert Plummer was strangled and beaten to death on the stairway for working for a rival organization,” reported previous DOI article. Then in 2002, the new residents of the house were away on vacation when their house mysteriously burned down.
Wagon Train (1976) Wagon trains traveled across the country to celebrate America’s 200th anniversary in 1976. A series of wagon trains went state to state from west to east on a pilgrimage. A train containing 440 covered wagons arrived at the Lake County fairgrounds on May 4, 1976. These wagon trains traveled at only three miles per hour. The next morning, the train arrived in Libertyville, traveling across the main street. Eventually, that train would meet the other wagon trains “at Valley Forge on the 4th of July, 1976, where President Ford gave a speech proclaiming that ‘our American adventure has just begun,’” according to Joe Murrow’s blog post on “Shelf Life.”
Focus News
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BLAST FROM THE PAST By Demi Glusic
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ne hundred years ago, Liberty Township High School, which became the Brainerd Building, was constructed. Two years later, in 1920, Milwaukee Avenue was paved, beginning the growth of current day Libertyville. While much has changed in terms of store names and aesthetics, Libertyville has kept its historic feeling by the preservation of its sites downtown. From horses and buggies to Model Ts to modern automobiles, progression of technology and culture has shaped Libertyville into what it is today. All historic information is provided by the online archives of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society.
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From 1920 to 1968, Cook Memorial Public Library was located in the Ansel B. Cook House. Once the library moved into the new building adjacent to the house, the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society began to restore and turn the Cook House into the museum and historical society headquarters that it is today.
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The concept of Dairy Queen was founded in 1938 in Kankakee, Illinois, by a father-son duo who took to selling a frozen dairy product. They teamed up with a friend who owned a local store and the ice cream became such a success that the franchise of Dairy Queen quickly took off, turning into the quick ice cream stop it continues to be.
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After taking a poll from the Libertyville community, Mr. Fred W. Dobe began drawing up plans for this theatre to be built on the southeast corner of North Milwaukee and Newberry Avenues. The Liberty Theater opened its doors on Aug. 27, 1937. The theater was admired for its at-the-time modern design and amenities. Libertyville native and movie star Marlon Brando worked at the Liberty Theater as an usher for a period of time, and the theater was chosen to host the world premier of some movies, such as “Desperate Journey.� Focus Feature
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In 1903, the First National Bank on Milwaukee Avenue opened its doors to Libertyville citizens. It was the second bank to be built in Libertyville. The First National Bank and Lake County National Bank later merged together in 1932. Today, the storefront has turned into a Starbucks coffee shop.
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Foulds Macaroni company has been a family run and operated business since it was built in 1894 in Cincinnati with help from the lumbers of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The manufacturing plant was opened on Church Street in Libertyville in 1905 and has been in business since. According to CBS Chicago, the company has around 50 people employed and produces about eight million pounds of pasta per year.
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In 1903, a line from Libertyville to Chicago was built on the route that serviced the Chicago and Milwaukee Electric Railroad Company of Illinois. The windmill on top of the old station building provided power for the pump, which maintained the station’s water supply. *Historic pictures courtesy of Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society Focus Feature
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EIGHT sEVEN
When the first-year students attended LHS, the clubs they had were “The Student Council of Control,” “Orchestra,” “The First Aid Class,” “Glee Club” and “Nautilus.”
FIFTEEN FOURTEEN THIRTEEN TWELVE ELEVEN TEN
In 1919, there were so few students in the graduating class that there was a description about each student in the yearbook.
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Including the principal, there were seven faculty members the first year of LHS.
In 1919, each class had a poem special to their grade that was chosen by the Nautilus staff. Libertyville High School used to be known as Libertyville Township High School (L.T.H.S.). In the beginning years of school, there was a section in the yearbook for students to submit their literature, similar to today’s Slant of Light. In the 1920 yearbook, there was a page dedicated to people’s names, nicknames, virtues, weaknesses, ambitions and realizations. In 1920, a new athletic field was constructed, called Liberty Field. In addition, a new cedar track was being constructed on the athletic field.
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In 1918, in order to be in the “Athletic Association,” students were not allowed to eat “any pastry, candy or sweetened foodstuff” and if they did, they could be suspended for a week.
Prior to Drops of Ink, the News Staff began to have a big role in the school in 1925. More people began to join, and it became more popular amongst students. In 1926, L.T.H.S. had a valedictorian, which is something LHS no longer has.
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In memory of the Brainerd building, there is a memorial made of bricks being built on the southeast side of the property of where the former school was.
In 1925 there was a superlative named “Class Statistics” for the best worker of crossword puzzles.
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For a week in early 1918, during one of the coldest winters on record, LHS had to close its doors for over a week because of a coal shortage due to World War I. They couldn’t heat the school, making it unsafe for students to attend.
In the later 1920s, each class had their own class color, motto and flower.
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The first school administrator, J. Norris Throgmorton, enlisted in the U.S. Army in the middle of the first year the school was open and was deployed overseas.
In 1921, students were in charge of athletic games and budgets.
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The first year of school had a rolling start; because so many of the men were overseas for World War I, there weren’t enough farm hands to help with the harvest, so high school-age boys were expected to help on the farm during the official start of school. Due to this, it was acceptable for them to start in October rather than at the end of the summer.
Marlon Brando, a famous actor, attended L.T.H.S when classes were at the Brainerd building and worked as an usher at the Liberty Theatre. However, because of his rebellious behavior, his father later sent him to Shattuck Military Academy.
The first L.T.H.S. Pep Board was founded in 1926 and was made up of eight students. The Pep Board ran student life at sports games and events.
Drops of Ink was established in 1926. It did not begin until later on in the year, so only four issues were published the first year.
Drops of Ink used to come out twice a month and cost 50 cents per copy.
The class of 1927 claimed in the yearbook that they would leave their ghosts to haunt L.T.H.S. in the future.
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LHS was the fourth high school in Lake County, and it opened in 1917.
In 1928, the school colors were changed from maroon and white to black and orange because too many schools in L.T.H.S’ conference wore maroon and white. On Oct. 6,1928, the Board of Education approved the construction of a new gymnasium. According to students of that year, “a larger gymnasium was necessary to maintain our reputation for athletic prowess in competition with other schools.”
100 Facts fo Students used to have to apply to enroll in L.T.H.S.
In honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary, we looked through old yearbooks, DOIs and websites to find 100 facts that are unique to LHS’s history. Focus Feature 12 Drops of Ink
Photo from 1931 LHS yearbook
In comparison to the current 38 cheer team members, there were only three members on the team in 1929. The first annual homecoming was held on Oct. 18, 1930.
In 1931, the Zoo League was started. All players who didn’t make the basketball team had the option to join the Zoo League, where they would be divided into different teams that were named after animals found in a zoo, like apes or tigers. Archery, a new sport at L.T.H.S., was founded in 1931 and was practiced either during second period or after school. L.T.H.S used to have “Ivy Day.” This was a day where Ivy was placed on the side of the building to commemorate academic excellence. Membership requirements to National Honor Society (NHS) were very select when it first started. Only students in the upper third of the senior class were eligible, and only 15 percent of that group could be selected by the principal and faculty committee to be inducted.
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Another club that existed in the earlier years of L.T.H.S. was All Americans. This club consisted of underclassmen who had never played football but were interested in it. The members of All Americans were prepared to play on the actual team later on in high school.
In 1934, L.T.H.S. held 15 dances: four evening parties and 11 afternoon dances. LHS used to have a club dedicated to stamp collecting, stamp auctions and the discussion of stamps. In 1945, LHS lacked men because they were sent to fight in World War II. In the yearbook, students expressed how they hoped that the war would soon be coming to an end because they wanted the men back for next year’s homecoming. In 1947, students attended a Snake Dance Pep Rally, where they snaked around downtown Libertyville and were followed by the band.
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In the earlier years of L.T.H.S, there was a club called The “L” Klub. Males that received what we now know as the Varsity “L” were members of this club. People would recognize them by the distinct black and orange sweater they wore with an “L” stitched on the front.
Willie the Wildcat’s former name was Tom. The LHS water polo team used to be called Wildcat Guard, which is now a swim lesson service offered by the high school and taught by high schoolers.
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These men in 1931 were members of the well-respected “L” Klub, where athletes received their Varsity “L”s.
There used to be a Movie Operators and P.A. Crew that would help teachers show movies in class. From 1949 to 1964, Brainerd was referred to as Libetyville-Fremont Consolidated High School.
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or 100 years By Abbey Humbert and Sam Nelson Focus Feature
Layout by Olivia Griffith 13
The Sadie Hawkins Dance, what is now called Turnabout, used to be held in a cow barn. Horses and chickens were in the barn while the dance was in session.
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Butler Lake Building, where LHS is now, first opened in 1954. It was for sophomores, juniors and seniors.
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In Libertyville’s earlier years, students had to drive themselves to prom. This caused many people to become lost due to poor directions.
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It is said that in 1957, the brand new gym was flooded because kids set off the sprinklers. They had to replace the gym floor.
There used to be a cheerleading team for not only the football team but wrestling and soccer as well. LHS used to have a Jump Rope-A-Thon. Yearbook used to host a “nautigraph party” to pose as a yearbook signing. Instead of receiving the yearbook at the end of the year, students would receive it at the beginning of the year, including graduated seniors who would come to school just for the party.
In 1981, LHS was overpopulated with students. In efforts to decrease the amount of students throughout the day but not overall, LHS offered juniors and seniors an alternative night registration.
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The Butler Lake Building added the auditorium, pool and fieldhouse in 1971.
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LHS used to have a synchronized swimming club called Naiads.
Focus Feature
In 1983, around the end of the December, there was a Cabbage Patch doll craze where everybody wanted one. 1984 was the first year Drops of Ink and Yearbook began to use computers.
Photo from 1935 LHS yearbook Gym classes used to be separated by gender. These men are participating in their daily workout.
Students in 1970 protested for peace because of the Vietnam War. A few students even wore peace signs attached to their prom suits.
There used to be a school bonfire to kick off all the homecoming events. They burned many objects like wooden crates and anything that resembled the football team that LHS would be playing for the homecoming game.
Around Halloween, LHS used to host belly flop contests. This was part of the Beach Party LHS hosted. Students participated in other activities including the limbo, swimming, “the best legs contest” and volleyball.
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Mundelein. 1970 was the first year upperclassmen were allowed to bring underclassmen as dates, resulting in “a record 172 couples.”
The class of 1981 gave a gift to the high school that was said to grow in the front circle of the school - a crabapple tree.
Additionally, the week before spring break used to be named Humanities Week. Students would show others in class about their cultures and talents. Some people showed kung fu, some danced and some foreign exchange students lectured about their experiences.
The Turnabout dance used to be referred to as Ladies’ Night.
Photo from 1920 LHS yearbook Students enjoy a meal in the basement of the Brainerd building, where the cafeteria was located. Prom used to be held locally at Tally Ho Country Club in
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At one point in time, students participated in a Fall Festival. Students could play their instruments, dance alone or in small groups to showcase their talent.
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Before Caring for Cambodia was a club at LHS, clubs like NHS donated relief funds to Cambodia.
Similar to the music playing in the hallways during the passing period, in 1980, two students would arrive to school early to play music throughout the halls and classrooms for students’ enjoyment.
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In 1985, students TP’d the school campus in an attempt to pull a light prank in honor of Homecoming. Students used to be required to take only four academic classes. LHS used to have a start time of 7:55 a.m. Rather than having a resource center to combine all subjects, like LHS has now (MASH), LHS used to have separate math, science, and career resource centers. According to Mr. Kevin Holly, the Technical Theater Coordinator, there is an “urban legend” that flood lights located in the Studio Theater were donated to LHS from the former Technical Production head of LHS, Chuck McCullough. These lights are said to have been used for the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate in Studio 1 CBS Chicago. They have the CBS “eye” logo on them. LHS junior and senior classes used to host Candy Cane and Apple Day. People were able to purchase a candy cane or apple to go along with a message for their friends, much like Candy Grams that have been at LHS recently. In 1985, there was a waitlist for prom because so many students were interested in attending and there wasn’t enough space.
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Prior to 1985, students were only required to take one year of math. In 1985, they were required to take two years of math, and one credit of a foreign language, art, or music class. This made the students furious, and they expressed this in the yearbook.
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In 1985, seniors were only allowed to miss two days for visiting colleges.
LHS used to have four programs that students could take to help prepare them for outside jobs. In addition to preparing them for situations such as interviewing, they also received credit to use toward the required amount for graduation. In 2009, “The Unborn,” a horror film, was filmed in locker rooms at LHS. There used to be an annual LHS fashion show, which was produced by the Fashion Club. LHS used to have Peer Mediators - a group of students who would act as counselors and help students with their internal problems and group conflicts.
In 1990, the Homecoming theme was “Sweet Home Chicago,” which was the same theme as Homecoming 2015. LHS used to have a program called work-release. Students were eligible to leave after seventh period, as long as their employers wrote a note to school describing the extent of their work and giving them permission to leave.
In 2008, part of the movie “Public Enemies” was filmed in a science lab, offices, the front entrance and the locker rooms of LHS. The Brainerd building was honored for being the first four-year school in Central Lake County and for being in use for more than 80 years in 2008.
Graduation used to be hosted at Ravinia in the pavilion, followed by the same after-party LHS has today - activities in the field house until 4 a.m. When Brainerd was still part of LHS, freshmen were the only grade who attended that part of school. They had to eat lunch in the basement, which caused complaints.
In addition to Snowball, there used to be a club called SADD - Students Against Destructive Decisions. Not only did they advocate for drug and alcohol prevention at LHS, they would go to elementary schools and spend a day with them to show the younger kids how to have fun without substances.
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Underclassmen used to have only 25 minutes to eat. Seniors not only recieved the privilege of leaving campus, but a 50-minute period.
Photo from 1929 LHS yearbook Currently at LHS, there are 1,973 students enrolled. In 1917, there were 138.
LHS first installed air conditioning in 1999.
In 2000, Vernon Hills High School opened its doors and all freshmen who would have attended LHS went to VHHS instead. In the early 2000s, LHS used to have a Kick Off Dance to start off the school year. The seniors would organize groups for the annual lip sync battle.
The Kick Off Dance was usually held in the fieldhouse, but in 2000, it was at VHHS. This caused a lot of confusion - some students went to LHS, and others got lost, as they didn’t know their way around VHHS. In the 2000s, long dresses were popular amongst all grades for both Homecoming and Turnabout. Currently, it is more common to see long dresses soley worn by upperclassmen for Homecoming.
The movie “New Port South” was filmed in Brainerd in 2001. 2005 was the first time LHS brought a real horse into the school for the fall musical, “Oklahoma.”
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Construction of an addition to Brainard occurred in 1929, which included a new gymnasium, classrooms, and a heating plant.
The senior graduating class of 2018 consists of 538 students. The first graduating class had 10 seniors. For the 2017-2018 school year, there are 265 staff members. The school began with seven faculty members. The current ratio of female to male students at LHS is about 1 to 1.1. The first year of LHS, the ratio was 1 to 1.6. A logo that was painted on Brainerd gym’s hardwood floor is currently hanging up in the West Gym. Adjacent to the main hallway, near office 219B, LHS has the uniform of a veteran who fought during D-Day in WWII. This uniform belonged to a janitor who used to work for District 128.
Hanging in the main gym is the retired cheer uniform of Maddy Mcinerney, retired basketball jersey of Jack Lipp, and retired principal Walter “Wally” Hornberger’s orange suit.
Drops of Ink
Libertyville-Taught Teachers
By Maggie Burnetti Photos by Bulat Schamiloglu Layout by Colleen Mullins
Within the 100 years Libertyville High School has existed, students have come and gone, most limiting their time to four years. A considerable amount of current Libertyville teachers were once these students, who walked these halls in a different decade, during a different time in their life. That group all has something in common: where they received their high school diploma. *All yearbook photos were scanned from the library.
Matt Thompson
Mr. Matt Thompson, a 1998 graduate, started teaching in 2005. Mr. Thompson returned to LHS after his graduation from Northwestern University even before his teaching career began, to coach baseball. He is still coaching today as the varsity head coach. While in high school, Mr. Thompson played both baseball and football. At the start of his teaching career, he felt that many things physically about LHS remained the same from when he was a student, other than the West Gym and
front entrance additions. Mr. Thompson added that his current classroom may have actually been a classroom he was taught in for chemistry with Mr. Pete Dawson. At the time Mr. Thompson attended LHS, all freshmen had classes in the Brainerd building. “It was really kind of a cool building. It was fun to be with just freshman over there. It was kind of like our own little bubble we lived in,” said Mr. Thompson, whose own children will likely attend LHS.
Mr. Matt Tooley also graduated in 1998 and returned just seven years later in 2005 to start his ongoing 12-year teaching career at Libertyville. As a teacher, Mr. Tooley has been involved in many activities, including coaching boys soccer and advising Drops of Ink. He is still an advisor for Slant of Light as well as a sponsor of Book Club. While a student at Libertyville, Mr. Tooley played boys soccer, track and field and was a member of National Honor Society. Another component of Mr. Tooley’s student life was going to school at Brainerd his freshman year.
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Mr. Thompson enjoyed his time as a student in the Brainerd building. Now, he spends his days teaching in the Butler Lake building.
“It was probably as close a thing to living in a sort of ‘Dead Poets Society’ or Hogwarts-type of environment as you can get these days,” he said. Mr. Tooley remembers having classes with Mr. Brady Sullivan, who he called “Sully,” another current Libertyville teacher. Due to the close proximity of his graduation date and the time that he started as a teacher here, Mr. Tooley stated that he does have “flashbacks every once and awhile, but I think this building has become more of my adult life than my teenage life in many ways.”
Matt Tooley
Mr. Tooley shows off the socks he used in 1997 for Libertyville High School’s varsity soccer team. During the playoffs, his team wrote their numbers and “NBL” (Nothing but love) on their socks. Focus Feature
During his years as a teacher at Libertyville, Mr. Schaeffer remembers coaching Mr. Matt Thompson and Mr. Tim Matheson in baseball, two current Libertyville teachers and baseball coaches. Mr. Schaeffer knows many people from the community because of his many years at LHS. He stated that the weirdest thing he has experienced on multiple occasions is when he has former students’ kids in one of his science classes.
Beau Schaeffer
Mr. Schaefer shows an image of him and Mr. Gossell playing football during their high school homecoming game. In that game, Mr. Gossell, quarterback, threw the game-winning touchdown to Mr. Schaefer, a wide receiver.
Mr. Beau Schaeffer, a teacher who both studied and taught at Brainerd, graduated in 1980 and returned in 1988 to start his teaching career. Schaeffer coached both baseball and football for many years because he played both of those sports throughout high school. “I came here on purpose because this place is awesome. The people here care about the students a lot, they care about each other a lot; they’re very helpful. Everyone’s very supportive,” he said.
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I think this building has become “ more of my adult life than my teenage life in many ways. ” - Mr. Matt Tooley
Nora Kostro
Mrs. Nora Kostro, another graduate of the 2002 class, spent her years involved in a multitude of activities and sports. “If you could sign me up, I was on it. I really liked the high school life,” she said. Those activities included four years of basketball, two years of track, cross country and lacrosse, as well as Student Council and National Honor Society. As a teacher at LHS, Mrs. Kostro coached lacrosse for four years and was a leader
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of TopCats. Since then, she has stopped both to spend more time with her children. One of Mrs. Kostro’s best memories from high school that has continued to this day is the W.I.S.H. program. “It’s still such a heartwarming event,” she said. “Makes me tear up a little bit when I get to see the kids that get to rise to the top and make a connection either getting gifts or being at the event to make it as nice as possible.”
Mr. Chris Davis graduated in the class of 2004. During his freshman year at Libertyville, his class was the first that had split into Vernon Hills and Libertyville High Schools. Looking back on his high school years of football, Mr. Davis expressed one of his fondest memories was “when we hosted a semifinal vs. Prospect and there was like 7,000 people, and people lined up on the track and Prospect was the two-time defending state champion, and we just rolled them here.” After that game, the team went to the
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Mrs. Kostro developed positive relationships with teachers when she was a student at LHS. Here, she is surrounded by some of her past high school teachers - Mrs. Gourley, Mr. Bush, Mr. Mix and Mrs. Holtsford.
state championship, which Mr. Davis stated as being “phenomenal,” even though they lost in double overtime. Mr. Davis also did track all four years at LHS, on top of being a member of band and orchestra, where he played trombone. He continued his academic and athletic career at Butler University. On top of his responsibilities as a physical education teacher and assistant athletic director, Mr. Davis is the varsity football head offensive coordinator.
Drops of Ink
Chris Davis
Mr. Davis displays his “2003 IHSA Playoff” shirt while he wears another old football shirt.
interviewing her. “I remember I was nervous and shaking and sweating and I wanted it so bad that I literally almost cried in the interview. I was so passionate about it,” she said. “I left the interview and I called my mom and when she asked how it went, I was like, ‘I have no idea; I’m not sure.’” To this day, Mrs. Amann finds it too odd to call Mr. Matt Leone by his first name and other co-workers that she had as teachers by their first name, including Mrs. Amy Holtsford, who she had as a basketball coach.
Joyce Amann
Mrs. Amann stands under her Newsom Award plaque, which was presented to her for her academic and athletic excellence during her years at LHS.
Mrs. Joyce Amann, a graduate in 2002 and soccer state champion, started her career here in the fall of 2009. Mrs. Amann’s class was the last to go through Brainerd as freshmen. For all four of her high school years, Mrs. Amann played cross country, basketball and soccer. After high school, Mrs. Amann played soccer and studied at Illinois State University. She taught at Mundelein High School for two years, then applied for a job at Libertyville. She remembered the nerve-wracking interview because she knew all of the teachers who were
‘Hate Has No Home’ at LHS By Rachel Dudley
Photo by Ben Kanches Libertyville High School has created clubs and support weeks to create a more accepting and safe environment for students. One of the many ways that LHS does this is by being involved in Yellow Ribbon Week. Yellow Ribbon Week is a week-long event to bring awareness to suicide prevention. Having an accepting school environment is vital to every school. It allows students to feel more comfortable at school, therefore making it easier for them to focus on their education. Having that acceptance also allows students from a variety of backgrounds and orientations to develop confidence in themselves and their beliefs. This acceptance has been expressed at our school in the past few years through a variety of clubs and campaigns students and staff have participated in. These organizations have brought the student body together with a common sense of tolerance. Two years ago, the Gay/Straight Alliance at LHS started offering “safe space” stickers for teachers to display in their classrooms in order to inform members of the LGBTQ community that they are valued and respected at our school. Many students have similar “no hate” stickers on their Chromebooks to help spread this message further around the school. They reflect the welcoming atmosphere that the administration and staff has helped create for the LGBTQ community at Libertyville over the past few years. Earlier this year after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, the school, and especially the new principal, Dr. Tom Koulentes, confronted the horrific events head on. Through his announcement on the first day of school and the “Hate Has No Home Here” sign outside of his office, Dr. Koulentes made it clear that the violent and hateful actions of neo-Nazis in Charlottesville will not be accepted at our school. Following his lead, teachers are spreading the same message by hanging the signs on the door of their classrooms. Nazis are bad. It’s not a political debate between the right or left, it’s a fact. By ensuring that that hatred would not be tolerated at school, we took steps towards acceptance and reminded students that all people will be respected and valued at Libertyville High School. The signs go beyond the hate that was seen at Charlottesville. The multiple languages on the posters symbolize a variety of ethnicities from around the world. By being able to represent so many cultures that are celebrated within our own country and school, the signs have an even more powerful
Focus Opinion
message of one united nation full of people of different backgrounds, which is the foundation of America. Although Libertyville is not the most diverse school or town, which makes educating students about other cultures difficult at times, it is nevertheless extremely important. Last year, students revamped LHS United, a club dedicated to celebrating diversity at our school. They have been able to bring together people of different races and ethnicities in order to learn more about each other and their cultures. By expanding teens’ knowledge about other lifestyles and values, students are able to appreciate the diversity of LHS. Meanwhile, Best Buddies has been a very popular club at LHS for many years; it offers students with and without special needs the chance to spark lifelong friendships. They have kick-started the program “spread the word to end the word” at Libertyville to stop students from using the word “retarded.” They have worked with different organizations as well as with students to educate the student body about the hurtful connotations of the “R” word and why it’s crucial to stop people from using it. They are showing the importance of treating everyone fairly and respectfully. Beyond helping students of minorities feel more confident and comfortable at school, this caring environment teaches all LHS attendees the importance of acceptance. Our school is leading by example to instill tolerance in all students. We have learned to respect people’s beliefs, educate ourselves on other cultures, support all students, and most importantly, to appreciate our similarities while celebrating our differences. Libertyville has given everyone many amazing opportunities to improve our education, but even more than that, to improve our character. It is a school that supports all students and fights for the rights of all people in the building. We have been taught about the vitality of tolerance in all aspects of life. That is how LHS has succeeded for the past 100 years and will for the next 100.
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By Matt Smith Layout by Colleen Mullins
a walk through
Through 100 years of Libertyville High School athletics, there have been many accomplishments. There have been star athletes and state champions dating all the way back to 1917. This list walks through many of the triumphs in Wildcat History.
• 1917: Boys basketball began • 1918: Football began • 1918: Jack McMillen played football at LHS; he went on to play for the Chicago Bears
1910s
• 1962: Cross country began; they ran races on campus for the first three years • 1963: Stu Fonda became the first wrestling state champ • 1965: Doug Williamson received second in state for cross country
• 1931: Vange Burnett placed second in state for discus; he then went on to play football at Northwestern • 1932: The boys track team placed fourth in state • 1938: Girls tumbling began
1920s
• 1921: Girls basketball began • 1924: Girls volleyball began • 1927: School colors switched from maroon and white to orange and black; also, the mascot name “Wildcats” was coined • 1928: Mable Bennett became the first LHS cheerleader
1930s
1950s
• 1951: Baseball began again, after one season being played in 1928 • 1955: Boys golf and boys tennis began • 1956: Wrestling began
1960s
*These facts were compiled from information provided by Dale Eggert and the Centennial Video. While looking through all the facts for the past 100 years, little was found from the 1940s, which is why that decade is omitted from these pages.
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lhs sports history • 1983/1985: Girls basketball were elite eight qualifiers • 1983: Girls tennis placed third in state • 1985: Brian Wilcox received all-state honors, then played for UCLA; he was coached by Randy Kuceyeski who had 34 years of coaching football at LHS, 18 as the head coach • 1987: Boys gymnastics placed third in state • 1988: Dale Eggert began his head coaching career in wrestling, which has so far amounted to more than 500 wins
1970s
• 1971: Don Holm, a state champion in wrestling at LHS, went on to become an NCAA champion; Bob Buzzard, an Olympic wrestler, became an LHS wrestling coach • 1975: Pam Miller was third in state for girls golf; the team placed fifth in state • 1975: Brett Butler graduated from LHS and went on to play 17 years in the MLB • 1978: Boys soccer began with Andy Bitta as head coach; he went on to a 32-year coaching career • 1979: Poms began
1980s
Focus Sports
• 2001: Girls soccer was state champions • 2002: Jim Panther, who played in the MLB, won his 500th game while coaching baseball at LHS • 2002: Steven Brooks received all-state honors for lacrosse; he went on to play at Syracuse and professionally in Florida • 2004: Football was state champions with a 13-3 win over CaryGrove
1990s
• 1990: Girls cross country placed second in state • 1991: Girls soccer won the state championship • 1992: Boys cross country placed fourth in state; Chris Brown received all-state honors • 1992: Cryn Neuman received all-state honors in bowling • 1996: Bill Clay, an alumni of LHS, competed in the sprint bike competitions at the Atlanta Olympics • 1998: Kevin Walter graduated from LHS; he went on to play 10 years in the National Football League
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2000s
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2010s
• 2011: Cheer placed second in state • 2013: Baseball placed second in state • 2014: Boys swimming and girls volleyball placed second in state • 2015: Poms placed second in state • 2015: Boys soccer were state champions • 2015: Football placed second in state • 2016: Laura Zeng competed in the Rio Olympics for rhythmic gymnastics • 2017: Girls badminton began
Welcoming a neW Wildcat by maddie Wasser photos by emily hamilton layout by elizabeth manley New faces enter Libertyville High School’s doors every year, including the newest member to the Wildcat family, Dr. Tom Koulentes. After 22 years of working as a teacher, an assistant principal and a principal at Highland Park High School, Dr. Koulentes is now serving as LHS’s newest principal.
a path to education Growing up in Des Plaines, Illinois, Dr. Koulentes was the oldest of four boys. He attended Maine West High School, where he was a varsity soccer player, wrestler and baseball player. Dr. Koulentes knew from a young age that he wanted to be a teacher, specifically a social studies teacher. Early on in his life, Dr. Koulentes quickly gained interest in Civil War reenactments. Spending weekends traveling the country, sleeping in tents and riding horseback into battle, he knew that social studies was his passion. Despite others’ opinions, Dr. Koulentes was on an education path: “People would say to me, ‘You
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should be a lawyer’ or ‘You should be a businessman.’ That would really offend me because I viewed teachers as so important, the most important job and people were belittling them by saying, ‘Teachers aren’t that smart. You should go and do other things.’ That fueled my passion even more to want to be a teacher.” Dr. Koulentes graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Social Studies Education in 1995.
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highlights at highland park In 1995, Karen Harris, the Social Studies Department Chair of HPHS, called the University of Illinois asking for students who could teach history and English as a Second Language (ESL). Dr. Koulentes was recommended because he student taught English as a Second Language at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. At the time, Dr. Koulentes “didn’t even know where Highland Park was and [I] went and then [I] got a job.” As soon as Dr. Koulentes started his bilingual teaching career, he quickly learned that the majority of students that he taught were immigrants from Mexico. Not knowing their culture and language posed as a problem for Dr. Koulentes, seeing as how about 22 percent of HPHS is composed of Hispanic students. As luck would have it, Dr. Koulentes’s teaching assistant, Moises De Leon, was from a small fishing village of 5,000 overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the town of Cihuatlán, Mexico. De Leon invited Dr. Koulentes to stay with him and his family over summer break, so on the last day of school, they drove down to Mexico together. While staying there at the age of 22, Dr. Koulentes quickly absorbed the culture because “nobody spoke English and so I had to learn Spanish because nobody was going to speak English to me.” After an amazing experience in Cihuatlán, Dr. Koulentes decided to take a sabbatical (a period of paid leave granted to a teacher for one year), and took his wife and 5-month-old son to Costa Rica in 2001. There, he taught English and set up a summer school program for Highland Park students to travel to Costa Rica and spend three weeks learning
about the rainforest, ziplining, rafting and more. In recent years, innovation and improving education for the benefits of its students has been Dr. Koulentes’s primary goal. Since 2006, Dr. Koulentes’s biggest project had been working with the Highland Park Community Education Board. When Dr. Koulentes was at HPHS, one thing that he noticed was the advantages of some students over others due to their respective income levels. Dr. Koulentes heard from different families that their children would come home and say they want to do multiple activities, but because of the family’s non-disposable incomes, they couldn’t afford it. With that in mind, Dr. Koulentes sought out to design a program where any child has the ability to participate in numerous activities at HPHS on the weekends, when the high school isn’t being used, at no cost. The program today goes by the name “Working Together” and offers many activities such as dance classes, swimming lessons, guitar lessons and technology classes. Today, there are about 200-300 children who partake in these activities, which has grown substantially from the 12 children who started the program. Nancy Mills, a board member on the Highland Park Community Foundation, described Dr. Koulentes as “one of the most caring and capable people I know. When he sees a need or a problem, he works hard to find a solution that works well for everyone.”
Future as a Wildcat Now, as the principal at LHS, Dr. Koulentes is looking forward to the future here. “My goals this year are really to learn what makes Libertyville such a great high school. What are our core values, the things that we would say, ‘This is why we are Wildcats. These things matter to us.’ Once I know what those are, then [I want] to find ways for us to live those values. The things I would create would be expressions of those values,” Dr. Koulentes expressed. Advocating for the student body and creating tools for success are also necessities for Dr. Koulentes. This year, Dr. Koulentes introduced a Student Advisory Board to LHS. The board was created to help him better understand the student body as a whole and their views on certain topics. The advisory board is comprised of about 30 students, all of whom applied for their position. Senior Madison Kerber, one of those board members, said she is most looking forward to “peer feedback and talking to people about what they love most about the school and what we can change, seeing those changes happen and being a part of that.”
Between preserving the lofty principles of the Constitution, to integrating new classes, to creating a school that is fit for everyone, Dr. Koulentes has a passion for the power of public schools. “Your future is inevitable and unpredictable and high school is four years of your life. I just want you to take it easy on yourselves because your test scores and your grades are really only going to matter when you are applying to colleges as a high school senior,” he said. “They don’t predict your future and they don’t predict or explain your intelligence.” Dr. Koulentes emphasized that four years of high school is meant to connect students with their future and better equip them for the real world. He is trying to help prepare all students for the obstacles they will eventually face. Not only at the end of the day is Dr. Koulentes open to new ideas, but he wants students to know that “whenever [my] door is open, I want students to know that they can come in and talk to me. The door’s open, come on in, and tell me how things are going because my main, number one job is to be the student advocate and to be here for you guys.”
Dr. Koulentes works on a whiteboard in his office on new innovations and developments that he hopes to make in order
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The face of a student leaderStaff Editorial
Photo by Ben Kanches When it comes to being a good student leader in a club or captain of a team, you have to live up to the standards that the student leaders are expected to uphold. Student leaders should be positive influences. Whether it be a team captain, Link Crew leader, executive member of Stageplayers, editor of Drops of Ink or a member of Student Council Executive Board, these leaders should act as role models for other students. This means there are certain ways they should behave, and equally as important, certain ways they shouldn’t. These students were chosen for their respective positions for a reason: they are exemplary. After applications, interviews and/or elections, standards are automatically set higher for faces of the student body. Their main job is to lead an organization, sport or club, and set an admirable example for others in and out of their activity. It may seem like a daunting task, but they did choose to have that power. Our staff believes there are imperative qualities that student leaders should possess. Being unselfishly devoted to what they represent is at the top of the list. This means they should be committed to what they are involved in and care about the group of people they are leading and the organization they represent more than themselves. Other critical qualities of an esteemed leader include being genuine, friendly, outgoing and a good decision maker. Every student that participates in an extracurricular activity is under our school’s Code of Conduct, although many organizations take it a step further and require their members to sign it. When a leader decides to take part in a school-sponsored activity, they know what is expected of them. According to District 128’s Code of Conduct, “Participants involved in the extracurricular program are expected to comply with the regulations of the school, observe good order, and conduct themselves in a manner that will bring credit and honor to them and their school.” Leaders are smart enough to understand what they aren’t allowed to do and the potential repercussions if they break the code. “I didn’t know” is not an excuse. However, some staff members argued that students shouldn’t have to sign a code in the first place because being respectful and abiding by the rules should be implied. An honor system like this might encourage more students to obey the rules. Although, this also means they can fight back if they break the rules by claiming they never agreed to anything explicitly.
For those who break the code, consequences should be issued based on circumstance. If not, what’s the point of signing? Most of the staff agrees that punishment should be given out situationally. Getting kicked out of National Honor Society for missing two meetings is not the same as getting kicked out because of smoking or drinking. The bigger offense is the one that is illegal. Participating in illegal activities isn’t the only action that should call for the demotion of a student leader. Being a bully, disrespecting staff, vandalizing school property, having failing grades or ditching school, among other deeds, should call for the student’s dismissal from their position. These are more of a reflection on one’s character than drinking or doing drugs. Other students in the organization might see this sort of behavior and think it’s alright for them to do that too. On occasion, second chances will be given; however, a second chance might be granted only to have the same irresponsible action occur again. If a student is implemented back into their position after doing something that goes against the qualities of a leader, this discredits not only the person’s character, but also the organization they participate in. It is almost seen as promoting the wrongful act. Saying an organization plays second chances by ear is basically saying it depends on who gets the favoritism treatment, which is not fair. We’ve noticed favoritism plays a role in who gets a second chance and who doesn’t. If a sport needs their star player in an upcoming game, obviously they are going to give more leniency if the player did something that requires missing game time. If someone who doesn’t play much gets coded, they are more likely to serve their punishment. Adults in charge need to separate their own personal bias towards a student from the student’s evidently wrong actions. In order to have a fair system, there needs to be a set list of consequences stating who gets a second chance and who doesn’t. A specific, universal code should be in place amongst every sport and club to ensure that no exceptions are made. With great power comes great responsibility.
Note: As this piece is a staff editorial, it is representative of the opinions of Drops of Ink staff as a whole. The staff is comprised of LHS students from each grade level and spans a wide range of opinions from two class periods, with 51 students total. The author(s) of this piece did not place their personal opinions in the story; they merely reflect the staff ’s thoughts.
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Column Face-off:
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n light of the recent act of terrorism resulting in the death of a counter-protester in Charlottesville, Virginia, which initially began as a protest led by a group of white supremacists and Neo-Nazis, we were inspired to write face-off columns about the freedom of speech vs. the freedom of hate. While neither of us support hate or the actions that are associated with it, we have differing opinions on what should be able to be publicly expressed.
Hate Speech is not free speech By Lola akinlade If you have a white hood, go ahead and wear it — but not on public grounds. If you have a cross that you want to burn, go ahead and burn it — but not on public grounds. If you have a Nazi flag, go ahead and wave it — but not on public grounds. There is a strong distinction between private and public expression. Hate speech should be a private matter. The Constitution protects free speech, no matter how hateful, but there is a fine line between hate speech against a political party and hate speech historically associated with racism and domestic terrorism. It should not all simply be protected under free speech. One of the purposes of laws is to protect people and to make people feel safe; hate speech is a threat. Waving a Nazi flag is a symbol of pride for a genocide that killed more than six million Jews. “Repping” a white hood and burning the cross have historically been used to terrorize millions of blacks around America. A white hood is a threat, burning the cross is a threat, and the nazi flag is a threat. And just like guns are viewed as threats and are illegal to carry openly in public in most circumstances, historical symbols of hatred should be viewed in the same light. Taking advantage of free speech as a way to intimidate others should not be permissible. Free speech should be used to express injustices or to fight for something one truly believes in. Free speech should not be exploited and used as a means to emotionally intimidate and harm the masses. Burning a cross outside of a historically black church is a form of terrorism, and it is perplexing to me that people fight for people’s right to do so.
Opinion
For people arguing that it goes both ways — it doesn’t. Wearing a black armband as a symbol of peace and opposition against the Vietnam war is not threatening anyone. There is no violence insinuated with that symbol. It is incomparable. That is free speech. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion (go ahead and be a neo-Nazi and white supremacist!), but if a symbol historically represents genocide or the lynching of millions of African Americans, there should not be public demonstrations of that symbol. Publicly portraying symbols that take pride in violence is outright hostile and should not be protected under the First Amendment. Can you really tell a young black man that the men marching with burning crosses and white hoods are no threat to him when 50 years ago, those same men would have been the ones tying him up to a tree? I truly believe that it is people’s right to hate if they want (don’t get it twisted!), but it should not be their right to publicly display that hatred as a way to intimidate others, specifically if that hate is associated with violence. There are already laws preventing this type of hostile behavior in school: According to the National Coalition Against Censorship, schools are required to take action if speech creates a hostile environment as stated in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. However, these laws should be carried out into the general public. Hate speech is hostile — in school and on public grounds. The Constitution explicitly protects hate speech — there is no debating that. However, it also explicitly promotes “tranquility” and promotes the “general welfare” of a nation, as stated in its preamble. Hate speech directly violates the ideals expressed in the Constitution. Therefore, hate speech should not be free speech.
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Drops of Ink
the first amendment hate speech is free speech By maria thames Hate: “[an] intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury,” according to Merriam-Webster. Here is what I absolutely hate: the wage gap, when people use the word “gay” in a negative connotation, how women are often blamed for assault based on their clothing or the time of day they went out at, and most of all, being told that I can’t share or stand up for my opinions. This is where the freedom of speech and hate collide. It is imperative that I state I do not encourage or support violence, harassment, assault, teasing or any type of hate crime whatsoever; I truly despise everything that is associated with hate itself. It is also imperative that I state that both my job as a student journalist and this column would cease to exist without the freedom of speech and similarly, the freedom of hate. As the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…” At no point does the amendment define what free speech is and what is appropriate and what is not, meaning that anything, including hate, is legal. There are, of course, exceptions that have been carved out over time, including (but certainly not exclusive to) yelling “fire” in a movie theater or lying under oath. Instead of seeing hate in pertinence to the freedom of speech as completely negative, I try to see it in a positive light. Above, I gave a list of what I hate. And I really, really do hate those things. With this hate, under the First Amendment, I am allowed to speak against any injustices I see related to them. Almost every day at school, I find myself stopping in the hall to tell
someone that the way they used a word wasn’t particularly cool. When someone attacks a person who identifies as a feminist, I have a (respectful) speech prepared for them. While this does not seem like hate in my eyes, the people who I speak to, when I correct them or tell them to stop, may feel personally attacked or hated. If hate was not included in the freedom of speech, I wouldn’t be able to stand up for what I believe in. None of us would. However, I also need to talk about the “hateful” part of hate. There was some serious hate presented in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. I by no means support any of the messages or any actions associated with the hate that occurred there, yet I do respect the fact that, despite how ignorant, offensive and downright wrong those messages were, the people saying them legally had the right to say them. (To clarify, when speech includes threats or incitement to violence, the legality of it becomes iffy, but if it is an opinion or an idea, it is protected under the Constitution and First Amendment.) If the freedom of speech is going to be taken away from one group or one message, it will be taken away from all. If it is taken away from all, there is no way for us to fight against what we see as morally incorrect. Looking back at history, without the hatred that colonists had for the British and their taxes, America and our rights would not exist. Without the hatred that women had toward not being able to vote, their right, my right, to suffrage, would not exist. The combination of free speech and hate, as unlikely as it may seem, can actually be put together to make something better.
Photos by jenna grayson Layout by Hannah hutchins
Opinion
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