Volume LXXIII
“If nothing else, value the truth”
St. Louis University High School, Friday, December 12, 2008
Shakespeare Competition Photo by Zac Boesch
Senior Andrew Fowler recites the soliloquy “O that this too, too sullied flesh” from Hamlet during the competition’s preliminary round on Wednesday. Sophomore Conor Fellin and seniors Andrew Gude, Mark Holzum, and Pete Winfrey will compete in the finals on Tuesday during the before homeroom activity period.
Schedule Changes
Monday, December 15 6:55 Warning Bell 7:00-7:45 Zero Hour 7:20 Mass in School Chapel 7:50-8:35 Activity Period 8:39-8:45 Homeroom 8:49-9:26 Period 1 9:26-10:07 Freshmen and Seniors to Fine Arts Presentation 9:30-10:07 Period 2a (Sophomores and Juniors) 10:17 Warning Bell 10:22-10:52 Sophomores and Juniors to Fine Arts Presentation 10:22-10:59 Period 2b (Freshmen and seniors) 11:03-11:40 Period 3 11:44-12:21 Period 4a 1144-12:14 Freshman/Sophomore Lunch 12:14-12:51 Period 4b 12:21-12:51 Junior/Senior Lunch 12:55-1:32 Period 5 1:36-2:13 Period 6
2:17-2:19 2:19-2:56
Examen Period 7
Tuesday through Friday— December 16-19 6:55 Warning Bell 7:00-7:45 Zero Hour 7:20 Mass in School Chapel 7:50-8:35 Activity Period 8:39-8:45 Homeroom 8:49-9:34 Period 1 9:38-10:23 Period 2 10:27-11:12 Period 3 11:16-12:01 Period 4a 11:16-11:46 Freshman/Sophomore Lunch 11:46-12:31 Period 4b 12:01-12:31 Junior/Senior Lunch 12:35-1:20 Period 5 1:24-2:09 Period 6 2:13-2:15 Examen 2:15-3:00 Period 7
Issue 14
SLUH hosts Quiz Bowl championship tournament
Patrick O’Leary Reporter
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t. Louis U. High hosted the championship matches of the Quiz Bowl league for five private high schools around St. Louis on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The Knowledgebills finished third in the event. Math teacher and Quiz Bowl moderator Frank Corley said that the loss was a disappointment but also brought some highlights. Second-ranked CBC, who gave SLUH a tough time in the Hancock tournment, unfortunately beat SLUH in Wednesday’s varsity championship tournament. The loss against Westminster, who placed second, was particularly unfortunate because SLUH has beaten them regularly throughout November and December. Although these defeats were disappointments, SLUH came back with a win over DuBourg. In contrast, the fourth-ranked SLUH junior varsity team beat all of its opponents and finished first. Also, several SLUH students medaled individually from the varsity and JV squads, such as sophomores Logan Hayward and Morgan Keefe and junior Brian Campbell. Corley said that Hayward, a star on the team, is great with cultural knowledge and
see QB, 9
This Week in Prep News Christmas Gift Feature, p. 7 Sports coverage starts, p. 5 STUCO Budget, p. 3
News
2
December 12, 2008
Speech team keeps top spot in Diversity Film rankings after Sunday’s meet Series to show John Sachs Reporter
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he St. Louis U. High Speech team maintained its lead in the rankings at a speech meet last Sunday, Dec. 7. The meet took place at Duchesne High School, where the Speechbills’ lead over Cor Jesu narrowed to one point in their second meet of the season. The team placed highly in the rankings and were able to receive ribbons for their speeches and skits. Senior Jack Erbs received two first place rankings in Poetry Reading with recitations of two poems by Alice Walker, the author of The Color Purple. Erbs also earned a first and a third place ranking in prose reading. Altogether, he secured a total of two blue ribbons. In his first year on the team, sophomore Patrick Smith received a red ribbon for his Pro-Life speech in the original oratory section. Senior Pete Winfrey and junior Kevin Kickham received a blue ribbon for their duet performance of the opening scene of The Foreigner, the play from last spring.
Seniors Andy Frank and Mark Holzum acted out a scene from Lone Star, and senior Joey Zanaboni received first place rankings in the extemporaneous speaking section, where the speaker studies magazines and creates a speech about a given question in just 30 minutes. Fine arts and speech team coach Katherine Whitaker advised the Speechbills on different subjects for poetry or prose reading and gave pointers on speeches when they performed in front of her. Smith said, “She gives all of us critiques on how to make it better, and she’s there if you need help on anything regarding your speech. So she’s been a great help.” The team usually tries to get in a full team practice on the week before the meet, but they were unable to in this time. Practices for individuals are voluntary; the team has no required speech meetings or trainings. “We had a lot of blue ribbons and a lot of high rankings, so we’re looking really good this year,” said Erbs. Their next meet is on Sunday, Jan. 18 at SLUH, and the finals are on Feb. 1 at Incarnate Word.
Sound Shell
Photo by Zac Boesch
The St. Louis U. High music program added a new asset to its ability to project music six weeks ago,: a towering tan wall. The wall is an “Alla Breve Music Shell,” and is made by the company Stage Right. The sound shell allows for greater projection of a band’s or chorus’s sound by reflecting sound waves. According to band director Bryan Mueller, the wall has been especially helpful for the string section of the bands, which he said is often overpowered by the brass and percussion sections. The SLUH Chorus has also used the wall, although its base is too wide to fit in the choral room. The wall consists of a sturdy base and a movable canopy, which can be raised or lowered with a system of pulleys. The wall can be easily moved around on wheels, but Mueller commented that it is sometimes “hard to remember to lower the canopy before you put it through the door.” —Curtis Riganti
Reel Bad Arabs this afternoon Nick Fandos Reporter
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eel Bad Arabs, the latest installment in the Diversity Film Series, will be shown today at 4:00 in room 215c. The film will be followed by a group discussion. The fifty-minute film, the first in this year’s series, addresses Hollywood’s negative portrayal of Arab people and how it affects the views of the general public and fuels society’s fear. Event coordinator Robert Evans explained that the goal of the series is to “increase the awareness about stuff we see every day. It helps us digest what we see every day.” Once the film begins, popcorn and soda will be given out and pizza may be purchased. After the movie is over, Evans will lead a one-hour group discussion to reflect on what was shown and further educate the moviegoers on the Arab portrayal debate. Evans turned more power over to students this year in the organization of the series and says the goal is “to build momentum, and eventually move into the theater.” The film was originally supposed to be shown on Nov. 12, but Evans was scheduled to be in Chicago at a conference the original night of the showing. Because Friday’s showing is the first showing of the year, Evans concluded, “We would be excited if forty people show up.” He hopes numbers will build for the next film, Hip Hop Beats and Rhymes, scheduled for later this year, but Evans is holding out for strong numbers at tonight’s film.
PN Quote of the Week Television has made dictatorship impossible but democracy unbearable. —Shimon Peres Israeli President
Opinion
December 12, 2008
3
Commentary Mackowiak fears winter sports hibernation Pete Mackowiak Sports Editor
Last Friday, our entire school community honored last year’s volleyball and water polo state championship teams with a ceremony in the gym. A few students left school early, more took exception to part of Mr.Baudendistel’s speech, and I’d be willing to bet most are losing the meaning and value of the assembly, which is an ominous sign for community participation in sports for the rest of the year. Happily, SLUH excels in sports to the point that any senior in any given year can consider himself a championship assembly veteran. It’s a part of human nature to take for granted the banners that hang in our gym, just as it is to view this past incredible but ring-less fall sports season as a disappointment. The audiences’ attitude at these assemblies always borders on indifference. You know the drill: file in, hear speeches, applaud, watch the band play, see players posing around a blue and white banner, file out. It’s hard to get excited about sports wins that happened half a year ago, and when rote applause is the only active participation, it’s easy to understand why most spectators pay less close attention to the coaches’ talks than they would a homily at an all-school Mass. This indifference means it takes something out of the ordinary to get the audience’s attention, which is what water polo coach Paul Baudendistel effectively did in pointing out how many
Description Beginning Balance Back to School Tee-Shirt Woodard Restoration Clean Sofa/ Loveseat Costco Reimbursement Freshmen Fun Day (Food) Bradburn’s (Blue Paint) Windows Deposit (Fall Ball) Windows Deposit (Sno Ball) Super Bill TeeShirts Super Bill T-Shirt sales Engraphix -Teacher Plaque
current varsity athletes used to, but cease to play water polo. Baudendistel wasn’t wrong to state the facts—a 57-game winning streak is good for at least some bragging rights. His statement should have made people think, “Wow, isn’t it great that my classmates are talented enough that we can have a dominant water polo team even without Morgan Cole or other varsity athletes?” But it didn’t bother me as much that people missed this implication and booed. What bothered me was that it took a charged statement to make people care, for just one moment, about the assembly. While SLUH does not force its students to play sports, our athletic philosophy states that the opportunity for participation in sports “is a vital part of the student’s educational experience.” Participation extends beyond the sidelines and into the entire community. So, the point of having an assembly is for everybody to participate in showing our thanks to all the work put forth by the championship athletes and in the process strengthen our community. Listening to the band is nice, but if soaking in music is all people do, then why have an assembly? Yes, it would be best to have these assemblies right after the fact, when emotions are higher and people are more apt to show their appreciation. But as of right now, there are no championship assemblies planned, and judging by past hibernations from basket-
STUCO Budget to Date
Net Change
Balance +$ 10,268.01
$ 520.00
+$ 10,788.01
$ -195.46
+$ 10,612.55
$ -41.25
+$ 10,551.3
$ -700.00
+$ 9,860.3
$ -143.30
+$ 9,708
$ -1,000.00
+$ 8,708
$ -1,000.00
+$ 7,708
$ -1,951.80
+$ 5,756.2
$ 1,565.00
+$ 7,321.2
$ -215.00
+$ 7,106.2
see MACKOWIAK, 9
Fall Ball
$-5,866.21
+$1,239.99
Fall Ball Deposit
$5,866.41
+$7,106.4
Rathmann Family Trust Rathmann Family Trust Christmas – Julie Merrill Apostlebills
$-21,367.00
--
$21,367.00
--
$-225.50
+$ 6,880.7
$-200.00
+$6,680.7
Mixer Start-Up Cash Fall Ball – TKO Balance Mixer Soda – Honduras Rathmann Mailing NASC Membership
$-700.00
+$ 5,980.7
$-300.00
+$ 5,680.7
$-780.00
+$ 4,900.7
$-420.00
+$ 4,480.7
$-85.00
+$ 4,395.7
Balance
$ 4,395.7
4
December 12, 2008 News Science Club ventures to Bell Mountain
Conor Gearin Staff
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he St. Louis U. High Science Club/ Venture Crew found itself weathering a windy night on the summit of Bell Mountain south of Potosi in the Mark Twain National Forest on its trip from Friday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 7. Bell Mountain became the destination because of its scenery and geologic features. The Crew’s campsite on the night of Friday, Dec. 5 was a glade—a clearing with igneous rock where only grass and brush grows—just past the summit of Bell Mountain, with a view to the valley and and even the Taum Sauk Reservoir and the cranes rebuilding its breach in the distance On Saturday morning, most of the backpackers embarked on a day trip to nearby Shutin Creek, led by freshman Nate Fox’s father, Steven Fox. They descended the rocky bluff to the shut-in, an igneous formation that a stream cannot erode, thereby “shutting-in” the creek. The trip back up to the campsite, how-
ever, was quite difficult. The Venturers had to scale four precipitous outcroppings of rock spaced out by very steep ground. On Sunday morning, the Crew day-hiked to another shut-in, this one on Ottery Creek, which runs through the property owned by freshman Brad Moore’s family near Bell Mountain. The Venture Crew did face some difficulties. On Friday night, with temperatures well below freezing, the Crew took shelter in their tents after huddling around a fire. One tent’s rain fly blew off in the high winds encountered that night, but most were unaffected by the weather. “The cold didn’t bother me at all. I was plenty warm,” said first-time backpacker senior Matt Kliethermes, echoing the sentiments of most. However, the Venturers were rewarded for their struggles. After a long, difficult bushwack covering steep ridges and thickly wooded terrain, the group reached a jeep trail that led directly to the Moore’s 123-acre property.
The ravenous and endlessly thankful backpackers reached the Moores’ domain at last. At the boundary line of the property, which lay just outside Bell Mountain Wilderness Area, a wooden sign greeted them: “Welcome Home Venture Crew: We Hope You Are Hungry!” The venturers, enticed by the intriguing sign, charged down the remaining section of trail to find a two-story cabin where Brad Moore’s father Jeff and grandfather Jeff Moore had prepared eight gallons of beef stew, five loaves of fire-toasted bread, muffins, cookies, hot chocolate, coffee, Sprite, Diet Coke, and dozens of bottles of water for the endlessly thankful Crew. “I was expecting a simple ranch style structure with a fireplace, without enough space to fit all of us!” said Kuensting in his email. “By having two stories, with floor space far in excess of what we needed, with gas-forced-air heating, a large fireplace, (with a bench!) and a wrap-around porch—it FAR EXCEEDED anything I had imagined!! It’s a chalet really, not a cabin!”
The un-needed intro also makes the plot progression sloppy by failing to explain the initial “alien elements.” There is an attempt to remedy the audience’s confusion by jumping into the action quickly (the movie transitions to the present day and within ten minutes the aliens have landed on Earth). Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) is escorted to a military base with several other scientists where they are informed that an object is approaching Earth with impossible speed. The object is another giant sphere like the one in the opening, which allows Klaatu to make his first appearance in the film. After the alien is taken into custody, Dr. Benson is assigned to help with the initial analysis. Eventually, she is ordered to sedate the subject but fails on purpose in order to facilitate his escape. It becomes clear that Klaatu has been sent to Earth in order to protect it from the destruction that humanity is causing. Dr. Benson takes it upon herself for the rest of the film to convince Klaatu that the human race deserves another chance. The United States government and military are portrayed as the antagonists of
the film as they display an unwillingness to listen to what the alien offers as well as a barbaric, controlling attitude towards the issue: the secretary of defence claims that since the alien landed on American soil that he is “property of the U.S. Government.” Paranoia and chaos plague the film and it becomes apparent that these apocalyptic events are meant to satirize our genuine anxiety of the present day. Time after time our worst fears are portrayed in the plot. The idea of an enemy that “knows everything about us” while we “know nothing about it” is discussed consistently throughout the film. Also, the fear of losing control of our own fate is obviously a main theme. Aside from its amazing special effects and noteworthy performance by Jaden Smith (son of actor Will Smith), The Day the Earth Stood Still has little to offer in terms of content besides reflecting our phobia of all things foreign. In the original film, the object that landed on Earth was a flying saucer rather than a spere of indistinguishable matter and
see ADVENTURE, 9
Remake disappoints in The Day the Earth Stood Still Andrew Gude Film Critic
The Day the Earth Stoof Still Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 103 min. Grade: Cs a remake, The Day the Earth Stood Still is subpar at best. Many of the plot elements are copied directly from the original film, but they also leave out some of the most important aspects of the story. The character of Dr. Barnhart, John Cleese in the updated version, played a central role in the plot of the 1951 version of the film, but in the remake he has only one brief scene. The film opens in the mountains of India in 1928 where a nameless character (Keanu Reeves) encounters a turquoise, glowing spere. This introduction is meant to explain why the alien Klaatu (also played by Reeves) is able to assume a human form so easily, but all it does is perplex the audience by adding an irrelavant element that really has no place in the film.
A
see EARTH, 9
December 12, 2008
Sports
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Cooney’s three-pointer wins Southside Classic for SLUH
Rob Bertucci Reporter
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he St. Louis U. High Jr. Bills (3-1) captured their first Southside Classic Tournament title with a thrilling victory over Mehlville in the championship game last Friday. The Jr. Bills entered the Affton High School gym with definite advantages over the Panthers in size, speed, and athleticism. The SLUH starters stepped onto the court ready to play, and good ball movement on the opening possession freed junior guard Mike Butler to spot up for an open three. But while the NBAStreetbills held the size advantage, the Panthers stayed in the game by owning the offensive boards, converting their hard-fought rebounds into second-chance buckets. Up one near the end of the first quarter, the Jr. Bills tried holding for the last shot. But the TreBallbills turned it over, and a Mehlville guard drove coast-to-coast for an
PN Nightbeat
uncontested lay-up and a 13-12 lead. The Jr. Bills regained control after the quarter break. The SLUH guards’ quickness allowed them to cut through Mehlville’s man-to-man defense, forcing the Mehlville guards to leave their assigned man to help defend the ball-handler. Junior guard Mike Mayberger took advantage of both of his open looks with two three-pointers, and the Jr. Bills entered halftime in front, 25-21. SLUH came out of the locker room on fire. Junior guard and captain Tim Cooney scored all SLUH’s points in an 8-0 run to begin the second half. But despite their strong start, the Cookies!bills did not put the Panthers away. The Mehlville squad responded to the 12-point deficit with an 8-2 run of its own, and the third quarter drew to a close with the score SLUH 35, Panthers 29. SLUH had controlled the game to that point, but down the stretch, the Mehlville fans gave their team the spark it needed. The
see MARV, 10
Kirkwood 75, SLUH 72
Lynch’s 28 points, school record eight threes not enough
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he Jr. Billiken basketball team battled back from a 12-point deficit at halftime, but ultimately lost to the Kirkwood High School Pioneers 75-72 at Webster HS. Senior shooting guard Matt Lynch led the team with 28 points and tied a school record by scoring 8 of 10 from three-point range. He hit four threes in the last five minutes, and one in the game’s waning moments to bring SLUH within three. “It was a gun show on offense,” said junior guard Jake Fechter. “Both teams shot the ball really well.” Despite the anticipation, former St. Louis U. High guard Darrin Young was ineligible to play in the game, but thinks he will debut with his new team in late December. —reporting by Matt Bettonville
Wrestling hangs on for CBC win Mike Lumetta Reporter
On wrestling varsity as a freshman, Nick Danter said, “It’s pretty difficult, but it’s worth it. The mistakes I made cost me a he St. Louis U. High wrestling team match, so I won’t make them again.” entered the D.C. Wilcutt Gymnasium After the two tough losses for the freshat CBC on Tuesday to begin Metro Cathomen, the Matbills won the next four matches, lic Conference (MCC) wrestling with a getting two pins and two forfeits to take a crucial dual against the Cadets. The Jr. 24-12 lead. Bills were able to follow their Junior George Staley started ninth place finish at the Patriot the run with a pin at the 125-pound Wrestling Classic at Parkway weight class. After one period, South over the weekend and Staley had taken a 7-0 lead and their 41-39 loss to Windsor last nearly secured a pin on a half, but Thursday with a key 41-37 victhe CBC wrestler held on until time tory over the Cadets. ran out. Both teams were shorthand After his opponent chose to ed at the lower weight classes and start the second on his feet, Staley filled the 103-pound, 112-pound, finished a double by peeking his and 119-pound weight classes head out to record two more points with underclassmen who typifor the takedown and then turned his cally wrestle at the freshman or Junior George Staley works for the pin in his match against CBC last Thursday. JV level. Freshmen Nick Danter (112) and ing the incident, Ott and Clements met with opponent to his back on a half and finished for the win. Joe Culver (119) were both pinned by their the referees, who stood by their call. After freshman Will Whitney and junior opponents on half-nelsons to give CBC an Ott said, “I was upset because I think (Culver) should have had an opportunity to Andrew Danter received byes at 130 and 135, early 12-0 lead. The intensity heightened early when the get a point and start over, and he got pinned respectively, senior captain Mike Donovan referees made a controversial non-call on a right after (the clasp).” see SWEATPANTS, 11
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possible clasp by Culver’s opponent. While trying to turn Culver, the CBC wrestler locked his hands and head coach Jon Ott and assistant Todd Clements protested vehemently. The CBC coaches called equally loudly that the referee’s decision was correct. After Culver was pinned shortly follow-
PHOTO BY zac boesch
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Sports
December 12, 2008
Down six men, Puckbills falter vs. Howell
in the first. The Jr. Bills came out with Boschert in goal and a fired-up attack in the second. The aturday night the St. Louis U. High Hockeystopcoverbills broke the deadlock hockey team suffered its second loss midway through the period when senior Tim of the season to Francis Howell at the Rec Potter took a slap shot from the point, and senior captain Colin FitzGerald cleaned up Plex. SLUH was forced to start many under- the rebound for the 1-0 lead. But the lead lasted only five minutes. classmen since they were missing six players to their respective club teams. In addition, Howell equalized when, on a two-on-one, senior goalkeeper Jack Lally got his first an open Howell forward took a cross-ice career varsity start after starter Ryan Boschert pass and knocked his shot off of Boschert’s pad and into the back of the net. experienced pains during warm-ups. Senior Pat Zundel commented on the Lally looked impressive in keeping Howell scoreless at the end of the first period. second period performance, “We peppered SLUH also failed to find the back of the net the goalie with a lot of shots but couldn’t really capitalize. Our power play just wasn’t up to par.” The Courtnallbills came out sluggishly in the third and were caught off-guard on Howell’s game-winning goal just three minutes into the period. The Howell forward flicked the puck from the blue line over Boschert’s shoulder and into the back of the net. Junior Drew Tierney reaches for possession against his Howell opponent Saturday. The U. High attack had
no response for their less talented opponent and fell, 2-1. FitzGerald said of the team’s effort, “We had a really strong second period, and a total letdown in the third. The effort was non-existent (in the third). The Weownwestbills look to rebound this week against MCC rivals DeSmet and CBC on Saturday and Monday night, respectively. Saturday’s match-up is the first between the teams since senior Kevin Corby ended thirteen Spartan high school careers with an overtime goal in last season’s playoffs. Zundel commented on the rivalry, “We get fired up for any MCC game, but especially against DeSmet.” The DeSmet game will be Saturday at 8 p.m. at Affton Ice Rink. The Jr. Bills will also play CBC at 9:15 p.m. Monday at Affton.
goal was to work hard and make the best out of my SLUH soccer career. AC: And now your senior year you stand with those two shimmering accolades in your trophy case. Which one means more and why? NM: I would have to say I’m more proud of All-American because that puts me on the scale with some of the top players in the country. But don’t get me wrong—Player of the Year is still a big honor I’ll never forget. AC: Biggest regret of your SLUH soccer career? NM: I guess it would be not winning a state championship. Every year we had the talent, we just couldn’t manage to pull it off. Junior year (we) came so close (a 1-0 loss to Rockhurst)… I still lose sleep over it. AC: Both years, were you guys the best team in the state? NM: In OUR minds we were, but in reality that doesn’t matter. I mean, we aren’t the
ones with the rings on our fingers. AC: Good point. Still, you’ve played on some great teams, state title or not. What’s next? NM: Continuing to develop as a player and working hard at every practice (Maglasang committed to play for Saint Louis University next fall). Now I’m ready to hopefully leave my mark as a SLU Billiken. AC: Top Jr. Bill to top Billiken. I like the sound of that. NM: (laughs) Yeah, it just seemed right. Hopefully this time next year I’ll be a bigger, faster, stronger Billiken than I am now. AC: Here’s another title to add to your lore: best interviewee. Maybe you can teach Lynch and Schrick a few things? NM (laughs): If they’re lucky I’ll teach them some tricks … but only if I get a lesson on kicking field goals and shooting free throws.
Tony Billmeyer Reporter
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photo courtesy of kevin boschert
Football All-State K Joe Schrick
(1st team Class 5a/6a)
RB Ronnie Wingo (1st team (Class 6a)
OL Matt Storey (2nd team Class 6a)
DB Nikko Sansone (2nd team Class 6a)
PN Interview of the Week: Nick Maglasang Adam Cruz Reporter
I sat down with Nick Maglasang, who won St. Louis Metro Player of the Year and was voted to the All-American team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Adam Cruz: First day, sophomore year, you’re on the varsity squad. What’s going through your mind? Nerve-wracking? Nick Maglasang: It was definitely nervewracking. I didn’t want to make anyone mad, because everyone was twice as big as me. AC: Most intimidating guy? NM: Easy. Rick “Big Rick” Hudson. His bicep was as big as my thigh. AC: Looking back, did you see yourself as Player of the Year and an All American two short years later? NM: No, I really didn’t. I felt like I was constantly surrounded by good players. My
December 12, 2008
Feature
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“All I want for Christmas...” SLUH faculty and staff offer gift ideas Kevin Casey Editor
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hristmas is fast approaching, and amidst all of the hustle and bustle of the season people are expected to carve out time to choose just the right gifts for their friends and family. Yet how does one go about doing this? St. Louis U. High art teacher Mary Whealon shared her technique on figuring out what gifts to get for different types of people: invite the person out to eat and then take him or her browsing through various stores. You will pretty much be setting them up to indirectly point out what they want. According to Whealon, the person is bound to mention something they would like to have but would never splurge on for themselves. Obviously you cannot take everyone you must buy gifts for out for a shopping excursion so then what are you to do? If you are close enough to a person that you are going to buy them a gift, you probably know something about their interests. In order to help you in your Christmas shopping (only 13 days left until Christmas!), several SLUH faculty and staff members suggested various gift ideas for different types of people. Secretary to the Assistant Principal for Student Welfare and avid book reader Marla Maurer said books are great gifts, specifically murder mysteries and Christmas stories. Maurer explained that novels are especially great presents for this time of year, because the season’s weather is perfect for relaxing by a fire with a good book. English teacher Jim Raterman enthusiastically suggested Timothy Egan’s The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl for anyone who likes to read, especially those into the historical fiction genre. For general poetry lovers, English teacher Terry Quinn says any collection of Mary Oliver’s poems would make a nice present, along with a copy of Billy Collins’ Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems. Getting the right gift for those who love the outdoors is crucial this time of year, given the fact that the cold weather often keeps them indoors more than usual. Math teacher Don Steingruby, who keeps himself busy taking care of his yard most of the year, says subscriptions to gardening magazines such as Fine Gardening are perfect for gardeners on dreary winter days. Steingruby said new flowerpots also make excellent gifts. The gifter can take it to the next level by planting something in the
pot—ideally a winter-blooming flower, such as a hellebore (also known as the Christmas rose), an iris unguicularis, or a Kaffir lily. He also mentioned that gardeners can never have too many pruning shears, which, depending on their size, can make an ideal stocking stuffer. As far as outdoor activities go, biology teacher Steve Kuensting suggested buying a portable GPS, especially since the systems have gone down so much in price. As for which brand to buy, he suggested a Garmin. Spanish teacher Kevin Moore said new flashlights and headlights are great for campers, and, if you buy new gear such as a pot, make sure it’s titanium. Math teacher George Mills put forth two gift ideas for the avid biker, both of which could serve as possible stocking stuffers. He suggested bike straps that keep the rider’s pants from getting caught in the chain while riding, along with new reflective bands. Moore added that cycling socks make cool presents as well. For the rock-climbing-inclined, computer technician Jon Dickmann suggested a Dynaflex Powerball (a.k.a. a hand strengthener) or gift cards to Upper Limits. Guidance counselor Nina See recommended going to Dick’s Sporting Goods for children’s outdoor gifts that get kids active, such as kids’ climbing equipment, tents, and ripstick scooters. She added that not only do kids enjoy such things, but that they are reusable as well. Math teacher Kate Hochmuth also cited Dick’s Sporting Goods, along with Sports Authority, for buying presents for those who work out. Besides gift cards, Hochmuth said dry-fit clothing articles are great gifts. She also added that any accessories, such as headphones or speakers, are good presents for those who like to listen to music while exercising. English teacher Tim Curdt also described great gifts for weightlifters, stressing the need for both kettlebells and the infamous power rope for cardiovascular core conditioning. Gifts great for the home gym, according to Curdt, include medicine balls, a pull-up bar, and weighted sandbags for lifting. English teacher Barb Osburg also weighed in on gifts for weightlifters, suggesting lifting gloves as a possible stocking stuffer. Osburg also had suggestions for entertainment-related gifts. She recommended What’s Up, Doc?, Ladyhawke, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as three movies most teenagers will not think they will like— but definitely will. She also mentioned seasons of Sports Night, a sitcom spoof of the ESPN sports newsroom that ran from 1998 to 2000, as a great gift. drawing by andrew palisch
see GIMME, 8
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GIMME
Feature
(from 7) For live-entertainment gifts, particular for those interested in music, choral teacher Joe Koestner suggested tickets to St. Louis Symphony, Bach Society Chorus, or St. Louis Chamber Chorus concerts. He also mentioned Shadinger’s Music on Broadway Street as a place to buy fun gifts for musicians. SLUH President David Laughlin said CDs make good gifts if you know what the person likes, but he specifically suggested holiday music by Elvis Presley and Mannheim Steamroller. French teacher Dick Keefe, who owns over 3,000 CDs, suggested Ella Fitzgerald’s Swinging Christmas and John Rutter’s Christmas Festival as good holiday CDs. Theology teacher Allen Boedeker also gave his input, suggesting George Winston’s December. Boedeker, who is himself a grandfather, said great Christmas gifts for young children are indestructible Nativity scenes they can play with. As for the best gifts for grandparents, he simply suggested hugs, kisses, and time spent together. He suggested “coupons,” such as an hour playing a board game together, as a way to give the latter. If you need gifts for the handiwork-oriented, Koestner said gift cards to places like Home Depot and Lowes are great. While Koestner suggested an American-made screw gun as a great tool to give, theater technician Megan Morey highly recommended a Milwaukee 17-volt cordless drill, complete with a built-in light and lithium batteries. Morey, who retrieved such a drill from the theater tech’s supply to show me, said the drill lasts a long time and is perfect for those who are not quite experts with power tools. Athletic director Dick Wehner enthusiastically suggested several Christmas gifts for those who own a special car as their prized possession. Several of his ideas make great stocking stuffers, including Armor All leathercare wipes, McGuire’s car wax, Valvoline oil, and motor oil. He even mentioned a new oil filter frame as a great gift. While Wehner’s gift ideas are perfect for the car-loving dad, along with, according to Laughlin, socks and undershirts, Keefe recommends avoiding ties as presents—for anyone, not just fathers— given the fact that tie-wearing has become much less common in today’s more casual society. He also explained that most guys wear ties to make their own statement, implying it’s better for the person to pick the ones he wants himself. Perhaps the hardest people to buy gifts for (at least from guys’ standpoints), though, are the ladies in your life. According to dance teacher Simonie Bieber, you cannot go wrong with a scarf; it is the “hot” accessory item right now. French teacher Jennifer Crespin agreed, while also stressing that guys should never buy girls purses— that’s one accessory they definitely prefer to buy on their own. Custodian Troy Trice said a guy cannot go wrong with perfume, a suggestion Bieber, Crespin, Maurer, and science teacher Mary Russo all agreed with. Bieber said picture frames can make great gifts for girls, and said that they like electronic things just as much as guys. However, Bieber said avoid jewelry as presents until at least your second Christmas with a girl. Trice added that a coat can be a nice gift, but he probably hit dead-on with his simple suggestion of taking the girl out to let her pick out what she wants.
December 12, 2008
Similar to Boedeker’s grandchildren coupons, Russo said girls like hand-made coupons, too, such as a night enduring a chick flick with her or taking her out to a nice restaurant. For other ladies in your life, such as your mom, science teacher Kathleen Chott suggested gifts from Bath & Body Works—things women enjoy but usually do not buy for themselves. Guidance Office Secretary Becky Berger said candles always make nice gifts. She recommends ones made by the Yankee Candle Company, saying that while she prefers the vanilla-lime scent, lemon is a pretty generic scent that most people do not mind. According to Crespin, many moms she knows like getting new, comfy pajamas (i.e., flannel) and slippers, gifts she says are easy to buy. She, along with Assistant to the President Kim Walsh, also noted that pedicures, manicures, or spa days are great gifts. Walsh said that wind chimes make excellent Christmas presents for mothers, especially as kids begin to grow older, because not only do they sound nice but whenever a mom hears them she will think of her son. She also said mothers even love receiving simple notes or poems written by their children. Theology teacher Rosemary Queathem would agree with the idea behind Walsh’s ideal mother’s gifts, adding that gift cards to places, such as coffee shops, given from a son to his mother with the intent of using them to spend time together are great. And while all of the gift ideas previously mentioned may be helpful, what happens when you have to bring some kind of food dish to a Christmas gathering? For tasty hors d’oeuvres dishes, Food Service Consultant Kathy Hylla says candied bacon—made with powdered sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon—are easy and always a hit. She also suggested tomato bruschetta. If you happen to be the one providing the main dish, art teacher John Mueller highly recommends a turkey soaked for a day in herb and salt water. You can never go wrong with mashed potatoes as a main side dish, and this year Mueller says he is going to try a new style, consisting of potatoes sizzled in cream and butter before being mashed. Finally, for the important dessert tray, librarian Sharon Zilske recommends homemade “Millionaire’s” fudge—made with more than one kind of chocolate—peppermint bark, truffles, and peppermint buttermints shaped in Christmas-themed molds. So by the time you are sitting next to the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve eating such treats, hopefully you have gotten all of your gifts. Even better, hopefully you can look upon the colorfully wrapped presents with confidence, knowing you picked it out with help from the SLUH faculty and staff.
Bonis Artibus
The Symphonic, Concert, and Jazz bands will perform a mixture of holiday, concert, and jazz music, including “A Swingin’ Holiday” and the rhythmic “British Eighth March” on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the theater. Following the bands, the Chorus and dancers will perform their holiday concert at 4 p.m. The Lab Band, Freshman Band, and a group of combos will perform more Christmas music for the SLUH community on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. All are invited!
News
December 12, 2008
9 photo by Conor Gearin
Cedar logs and five gallons of diesel fuel blazed last Saturday on a field on the Moore’s property. The bonfire sent ash and embers 30 feet into the air
ADVENTURE
(from 4) After dinner, the Crew lit the Moore’s bonfire, which was soaked in five gallons of diesel fuel, and began a game of capturethe-flag. Though the temperatures dipped into the teens on Saturday night, the group stayed warm in the heated cabin. The group returned to SLUH Sunday afternoon. Brad Moore said this trip, his second backpack, was easier than his first to Meramec State Park because of his brand new backpack, which fit much better. “The trail was a little harder, though, because it
was all rocky, and you’d roll your ankle every few minutes,” he said. “The difficulty for most of the backpackers (that went to the shut-ins on Shutin Creek) was 8 to 9 out of 10,” said Kuensting. “Without the shut-in expedition, the trip was more like a 5 out of 10—and would have been lower except for the bushwack. Not counting the expedition to Shutin Creek, the total backpack was over 10.5 miles with packs on. The day hike to Shutin Creek was only a half-mile at the most, but the strenuous nature of the terrain made it feel like 10 trail
miles. We also hiked 2 miles or so on Sunday to and from the Ottery Creek Shut-ins.” Kuensting said of the newcomers to backpacking: “I had to remind myself that there were any first-timers on the trip—we had absolutely no first-timer problems on the trip!” Kliethermes said he was prepared for the ardor of the trek by four years of cross-country. “I think it was a fantastic experience—good teambuilding,” he said. “It made me feel like I could depend on (the others) for my basic needs.”
(from 3) ball games, wrestling meets, and even winter plays, all signs are that this indifference is carrying over into the winter season. People: participation is all. The reason we publicly honor great sports teams is not because sports accomplishments are better than a Quiz Bowl title, but, more readily, it’s because sporting events and the resulting assemblies lend themselves to community. But if no one goes to basketball games or wrestling meets, there will be no justification for a (hypothetical) championship basketball assembly, and indifference will have triumphed. This fall’s soccer and football teams didn’t win championships, but the incredible fan participation gave their seasons meaning and thanked the athletes, assembly or no. This winter, the surest way to show our thanks for any of our classmates is to go to the sports games and plays. So let’s support each other for the rest of the year.
(from 1) is also a strong general competitor which really helps the team because, according to Corley, the rest of the team is more versed in science and math. SLUH hosted Cor Jesu, Westminster, DuBourg, CBC, and DeSmet. Each team attempted to answer questions based mainly on academics, with topics ranging from history and science to arts, literature and music. The event was organized by Tom Sother, a teacher from DeSmet, as a warm-up for the main Quiz Bowl season in January, February, and March. “It’s fun for acedemics to be a competition because you usually don’t compete,” said Hayward about why he liked Quiz Bowl. The next quiz bowl competition is Dec. 4 at Pacific High School.
(from 4) instead of setting the story in New York City, as in the remake, all the action took place in Washington D.C. The original film was meant to comment upon the Cold War and our nuclear fears of that day. The purpose of a remake is to provide a new interpretation on an old plot. Besides the updated technolgy and the incorporation of mass media and the internet into the mix, this updated version of The Day the Earth Stood Still offers no reinterpretation but instead merely applies the same exact themes and devices to the present day, which makes it highly unoriginal, and unexciting.
MACKOWIAK
QB
Earth
Sports December 12, 2008 10 Chessbills edged in Belleville Va r s i t y, J V Jack Witthaus riflery go 1-2 in Reporter Raider Classic T he second match of the chess season saw Mr. Kovarik shaking things up with the players that participated. “I’d like to go with basically the same line up as last week,” Kovarik said on Monday. However, with freshmen Rob Laurentius and Joe Esswein out because of conflicts, Kovarik called on freshman Kyle Padberg and sophomore Ryan Bothmann to play. For both Chessbills, this was their first match. The van ride to Belleville East was a long and bumpy one, and after about a half an hour, the Chessbills made their way to the library, which was in a trailer because of renovations. Inside the library, the Chessbills found the Belleville East chess team hungry for a victory after John Burroughs swept them
30-0 last week. The players shook hands and within seconds the library was silent. After about half an hour the first chess games came to a close with Padberg and Bothmann each losing. Padberg said of his loss, “It was an off day, and I was really nervous.” Sophomore Kevin Buettner, a Belleville resident, won his match, and junior Peter Harris eventually captured the number one board. Now it was up to junior Joe Ebel to at least tie to secure a second victory for St. Louis U. High. However, it was not to be; Ebel played well but slowly, losing when he ran out of time. The 16-14 loss pushed the Chessbills to a 1-1 record. “It was a difficult loss, but SLUH played well,” said Bothmann. “I’m looking forward to the next game to get back on the winning track,” said Bothmann. SLUH’s next game, versus Alton, will be at SLUH Wednesday. photo by jack witthaus
In the foreground, sophomore Ryan Bothmann (left) and freshman Kyle Padberg (second from left) begin their games against their Belleville East opponents.
MARV
(from 5) Panthers boasted a packed student section that easily drowned out the SLUH parents and the few students in attendance. The Jr. Bills maintained their lead in the fourth quarter but still couldn’t pull away from the Panthers. The Jr. Bills squandered countless opportunities to pad their lead from the freethrow line, going 8 for 18 on the night. “(Bad free-throw shooting) is always a concern, but the game before we made 14 of 15, so I know we are capable,” said head coach John Ross.
At the five-minute mark, Mehlville ramped up the pressure. They transitioned into a full-court zone press, which wreaked havoc on the Jr. Bill guards. SLUH watched its lead dissipate after turning the ball over four possessions in a row, and with 2:30 left, the Mehlville bleachers erupted as the Panthers took their first lead since the end of the first quarter. The Jr. Bills faced a one-point deficit in the final moments. Ross called time out and put his faith in Cooney, SLUH’s lead-
Dan Hermsmeier Reporter
W
ith inclement weather threatening, the St. Louis U. High Riflebills traveled to Gilman, Ill. for the annual Raider Classic Rifle Match last Saturday. Although the team shot slightly lower than usual, the varsity and junior varsity teams took first and second place, respectively, with the varsity winning by 57 points. The junior varsity team was fueled by four career-high scores: senior Phil Sigillito (550 of a possible 600), juniors Greg Powell (573) and Mitch Jones (572), and sophomore Dylan Stahlhuth (538). A fifth member of the JV team, junior Houston Barber, shot a 568 despite having to borrow a rifle from host school Iroquois West. Fresh off an elbow injury, senior Jason Nienhaus shot a 581 to win the match by one point. He also tied the school record for highest standing score, shooting 195 out of a possible 200. The team has been putting together some solid practices, and coach Will Bresnahan has been working with each individual to help fine tune his different positions. “The JV team really had a breakout day,” said Bresnahan. “Four new personal bests show that all their hard work is really paying off.” The team has three big matches coming up in January, including a trip to Kansas City, Mo. where they will compete for U.S Junior Olympic spots in Colorado Springs, Col. ing scorer (21 points). After the Panthers’ defense prevented an attempted screen, Cooney stepped back behind the arc and drained a three, putting the Jr. Bills up two with 10 seconds left. “I knew I was going to get the ball coming out of the timeout,” Cooney said. “I was looking to get to the hole, but they stopped me and I took the open shot.” Senior guard Matt Lynch forced a vital turnover and sealed the 47-43 victory and the championship with two free throws.
December 12, 2008
SWEATPANTS
(from 5) dominated the 140-pound match, scoring a takedown on a single-leg. When the CBC wrestler circled, trying to escape, Donovan hit the brands, throwing his arm to put him to his back and pin him. “I knew we had to get six points for the team, so I wasn’t going to mess around,” said Donovan. Sophomore Jon Conley, filling in for the injured senior Kevin Staed at 145, faced CBC’s Matt Bernardini, who had placed third at the Parkway South Tournament. Bernardini won quickly, pinning Conley on a three-quarters nelson with 1:10 to go in the first. Sophomore Espen Conley (152) and senior captain John Boehm (160) each won relatively quickly, scoring a tech fall and a pin, respectively. Conley scored several points, and was up 15-2 at the end of a period. After he won the coin toss, Ott, hoping for a pin rather than a tech fall, called, “Take neutral, go right to the back!” Conley ended up sprawled on his opponent and tried to hit the brands, but ended up circling for a takedown and the 15-point lead, good for a tech fall. After a Peter Everson bye at 171, SLUH led 41-18. CBC would make a charge from there, however. Junior Joel Geders lost a 7-2 decision at 189, and sophomore Thomas George (215), junior Alex Myers (275), and freshman Michael Barry (103) were all pinned, giving CBC 21 points, not quite enough to pull ahead. Boehm commented on the match, “We showed a lot of intensity and a lot of want, but we still have a lot of stupid mistakes to fix and a lot of moves to learn.” Said Donovan about the importance of the MCC win, “It’s huge. We’ve got Vianney next week, (which) will probably be the toughest (MCC dual).” “Our goal is to win the conference, and that’s definitely something you have to do to start (that), win the first dual meet,” Ott said. “It wasn’t the best wrestled dual meet that we’ve ever had, but it’s nice to get a win.” He later added, “It’s huge to have the experienced guys do what they did tonight. It gives everybody else a lot of confidence because they know there are a few individuals
Sports they can count on to pull the team up.” Last Friday and Saturday, the TSLbills traveled to Parkway South for the Patriot Classic. The tournament was wrestled in a dual meet format with two pools of six teams. The Jr. Bills’ pool consisted of Francis Howell North and Lindbergh, whom they wrestled on Friday night, and Parkway South, Jackson, and Columbia Rock Bridge, whom they wrestled Saturday. Conference rivals CBC and Vianney wrestled in the other pool. Donovan, Boehm, Danter, and Conley each reached the medal round by finishing in the top three in the pool in their weight classes. After getting tech-falled in the opener against Howell North, Danter went 3-1, including a 16-3 win over Rock Bridge’s Evan Kleekamp. In the 5th place match against Seckman’s Johnny Pepper Danter took a 4-1 lead after getting a takedown on a sweep in the third, but gave up a standup and a takedown to send the match to sudden-death overtime. Pepper sprawled out on a shot by Danter in overtime, and circled and hooked the leg for a takedown and the win. Donovan went 4-1 in pool play, recording two pins on Friday night. He was placed in the fifth place match against Vince Farinella of Lafayette. In the second period, Farinella got a snatch single to take a 3-0 lead and rode legs for the rest of the match. Donovan could not stand up because of Farinella’s position, but Farinella did not work very hard for a turn, either. He hung on to beat Donovan 3-0. After going undefeated, Conley wrestled for the championship against Jake Garner of Seckman. In a very intense and back-andforth match, Garner eventually managed to pull out a 14-10 win. Conley wrestled a very tough third period. After being down 13-5, he reversed and cradled Garner to pull within three, but couldn’t turn Garner again. In the 5th place match at 160, Boehm pinned CBC’s Kyle Wachter after he locked up a ripcord and ran a half to put him to his back. SLUH finished ninth overall in the tournament with 112.5 points, over 200 points behind Seckman’s 327.5. Vianney placed sixth with 186.5 points, and CBC finished last.
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News Editor: Chris “Sultan of Glendale” Brennan Editor: Kevin “Louie Hotop” Casey Sports Editor: Peter “John Heafner” Mackowiak Core Staff: Matt “Harvey Dent” Bettonville, Mark “Homer Stokes” Waterman, Ben “Bowser” Kim, Pat “Richard Nixon” Lynch Staff: Luke “Mr. Blonde” Chellis, Conor “Caligula’s Horse” Gearin Reporters: Curtis “Stephen Colbert” Riganti, Patrick “Huey Long” O’Leary, Zak “Nero” Otten, Jack “Uncle Ted Stevens” Witthaus, Dan “Ronald Reagan” Hermsmeier, Nick “Chancellor Palpatine” Fandos, John “King Herod” Sachs, Adam “Otto Kerner, Jr.” Cruz, Mike “Daniel Walker” Lumetta, Tony “George Ryan” Billmeyer, Rob “Rod Blagojevich” Bertucci Staff Photographer: Zac “Will Hartzler” Boesch Contributing Photographer: Mr. Matt “Angelo” Sciuto Artist: Andrew “Barty Crouch” Palisch Film Critic: Andrew “Bill Clinton” Gude Editor Emeritus: Jim “Spiro Agnew” Santel Advisors: Mr. Tim “Boss Tweed” Elliot, Mr. Frank “Boss Hogg” Kovarik Moderator: Mr. Stephen “Claudius” Missey The Prep News is a publication of St. Louis University High School. Copyright ©2008 St. Louis University High School Prep News. No material may be reprinted without the permission of the editors and moderator.
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by Conor Gearin
Sleeping with the Recluses Calendar
*Lunch menu subject to change.
Monday, December 15 Special Schedule-AP first hour SAC Meeting 7pm HOC vs CBC 9:15pm @ Affton C B-BALL Blue @ Jennings 4:30pm RACQ JV-1 & 2 vs. DeSmet @ Vetta Sports-Concord AP Snack: Breakfast Items Lunch: Special—Pizza Healthy—Chicken Cordon Bleu
Friday, December 12 Schedule R Loyola Santa Shop at Loyola Middle School Poetry Out Loud Final (in Theatre) AP ACES Film Series 4pm IM Fr Basketball AP B-BALL Webster Classic @ Webster Groves HS C B-BALL Blue vs St. Mary’s 4 pm AP Snack: Pizza Sticks Lunch : Special—Chicken Rings Healthy—Sweet & Sour Chicken Skewer
Tuesday, December 16 Special Schedule-AP first hour Shakespeare Competition 7:50 B-Ball (V/B) vs CBC 4:30/6pm WRES (V,JV,C) @ Vianney 6pm AP Snack: Breakfast Items Lunch : Special—Cirspitos/Burritos Healthy—Teriyaki Chicken
Saturday, December 13 STUCO Christmas Drive Delivery ACT Exam 7:30am HOC vs DeSmet 8pm @ Affton WRES @ Ritenour Tournament 10am Sunday, December 14 Alumni Board Mass & Lunch 9am-12pm Winter Fine Arts Concert Performances at 1pm, 4pm JV HOC vs Oakville 9pm @ Affton
Wednesday, December 17 Special Schedule-AP first hour Sr Semester Exams IM Jr Basketball AP AP Snack: Breakfast Items
Dec. 12 - Dec. 19
Lunch : Special—Brunch for Lunch Healthy—Beef n’Bean Burrito Thursday, December 18 Special Schedule-AP first hour Sr Semester Exams IM Fr Basketball AP JV HOC vs Webster Groves 9:30pm @ Fenton AP Snack: Breakfast Items Lunch : Special—Chicken Nuggets Healthy—Chicken Parmesan Friday, December 19 Schedule R Sr Semester Exams K-12 Submissions Sr Project Missioning Ceremony 9:30am Ignatian Mix-It Up Lunch IM Fr Basketball AP B-Ball (V/B) @ Vianney 5:30/7pm C B-Ball Blue vs Vianney 4pm WRES (JV,C) vs Kirkwood AP Snack: Breakfast Items Lunch : Special—Pizza Healthy—Baked Pollock
State Champs!!! Photo by mr. matt sciuto
December 12, 2008
Photo by mr. matt sciuto
The St. Louis U. High community gathered in the gym to celebrate last year’s volleyball and water polo state champions last Friday. The celebration included speeches by volleyball coaches Terry Quinn and Paul Scovill, water polo coach Paul Baudendistel, President David Laughlin, and Principal John Moran. Former principal Mary Schenkenberg attended the event, and Tim Dale, ’08, sent a poetic letter read by Baudendistel. The band, in a drumline formation, performed during the ceremony. Above, the state champions posed in front of their new banners for photographs. —reporting by Zak Otten