\ oUime 2S, issue 6 December 6, 1091
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Maine South H. S. P a r k Ridge, IL
V-Show offers viewers wild "Ride" by Ann Gortner and Brad Haak As the month of December begins, so too does Maine South's 28th annual V-Show, "Roller Coaster Sideshow (You'll get used to it)." This show has been in the works since early October, beginning with preparation for try-outs and culminating with this week's performance. The acts are many and varied, including yearly favorites from Orchesis, Hawkettes, and Flag Corps, along with assorted and unusual comedic and musical acts. The show is headed by sponsor John Muszynski, who assists senior directors Jenny Peterson, Joan Grzesinski, and Cara Spurrier; junior directors Lainie Castle, Melanie Keller, and Ann Gortner; sophomore director Brad Haakk; and music directors Jack Parrino and Alison Begor. The show will open with a dance number performed by the Footlighters, a group of Maine South's finest singers and dancers. The production will be littered with sporadic skits (called Blackouts) performed by Trunk, Maine South's comedy troupe for V-Show. These Blackouts, which are placed between acts, are written by the Writing Staff, headed by Carolyn Chandler and Keith Wesunan. The Stage crew is again working dilligently on the building, lighting, and painting of the set, designed by Scott Falbe. Stage Crew is led by Stage Manager Sheila Roche and sponsored by Pat Sanchez. V-Show has proven to be a worthwhile experience for many people. Anna Nommensen
V-Shovv Heads for Roller-Coaster Side Show are: Top Row—Carolyn Chandler, Joan Grezinski, Cara Spurrier, Jennifer Peterson, John Muzynski, Faculty Director. Middle—Sheila Roche, Alison Begor, Melanie Keller, Brad Haak, Jack Parrino. Bottom—Ann Gortner, Keith Westman, Lainie Castle.
IS enjoying her third year in V-Show because "it gives students fromm all walks of life a chance to participate and meet all sorts of different people one wouldn't normally see because of scheldules or routine after-school activites." Asst. Music director Alison Begor says she likes V-Show since "it incorporates all different forms of the Arts and lets everyone show his talents." Through all the long hours, though. Student Director Melanie
Keller explains that "although the tension and amount of work involved in the show is sometimes overwhelming, the finished product is always more than worth it". The performances for Maine South's 1991 V-Show, "Roller Coaster Sideshow (You'll get used to it)" are being held December 5th, 6lh, and 7th at 7:30 p.m. and on December 8th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale in the cafeteria during lunch hours and at the door for $4.00.
Auge wins DAR; SAR awarded to The 1991 winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution award is Homecoming Queen Suzanne Auge. The winner of this year's Sons of the American Revolution is Student Council Vice-President Jim Lin. Every year, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution each present awards to a distinguished Maine South senior. They are chosen based on their leadership abilities, as well as on their contributions to both the senior class and school, in general. The Maine South Faculty has recently voted on this year's recipients of the DAR and SAR awards.
DMMENTARY'
To sleep...
DECEMBER
6,1991
perchance to dream
by Brenda Saavedra "The first number is seven. Seven." Ok, one down, five to go. "The second number is eleven. Eleven." Whoa- two in a row. You've never done this well before. "The third number is forty-two. Fortytwo." Three! Holy cow! Better call Aunt Penelope. Bet she'd be pretty impressed. "The fourth number is twenty-one. Twenty-one." Four! And it was a quick-pick, too. This should get you at least $50 dollars. "The fifth number is seventeen. Seventeen." Time to sit down now. Five. Five in a row. If only...Could it be possible that... "The sixth and final number is thirty-eight. Thirty-eight." Ahhhhhhhhhh! You've won! Can you believe it? Here comes $40 million dollars your way! You could buy a Porche, $40 million, a house, $40 million, a yacht. $40 MILLION!!! Forget the house, you could buy your own country! "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEPBEEP" The discordant ringing of your alarm clock jolts you back into reality. It's 6:30 a.m., you've got a test on the rise and fall of Whiggery in less than two hours, and you also have to somehow come up with $42 to cover the box of Crunch bars that you were supposed to sell but somehow ended up eating yourself. But what about the Lotto? The $40 million? The car, the house, the boat? It was all merely a dream. A fantasy. A hallucination. Did it mean anything then? Was its sole purpose to throw you into the depths of dissapointment and make the reality you actually live in seem like hell? Or it could be a prophecy that someday you'll win minions...It could mean the exact opposite - that you're destined for a life of destitution... Throughout history people have wondered about the meanings of dreams. In the Bible, Joseph's explanation of Pharaoh's dream fortold seven years of plentitude and seven years of famine. By the seventh centur>' A.D., the people of present day Saudi Arabia had allowed dream interpretation to influence their lives so dramatically that Mohammed forbade the practice. "Dreams are not meaningless, they are not absurd. On the contrary, they are psychical phenomena of complete validity, constructed by a highly complicated activity of the mind," wrote Sigmund Freud. He believed that
Do any of these dream forms look familiar to you? If so, go home and lie downâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but don't fall asleep! dreams were the "royal road" to the unconscious mind; a disguised form of an unconscious wish. Perhaps even a wish that would be considered forbidden to the alert mind. Some contemporary psychologists disagree with Freud's thesis, and argue that dreams do not have a latent content, that dreams simply continue the conscious concerns of wakeful life, but in a visual metaphorical dream language. Nightmares, for example, may represent something that is bothering us more than we actively realize. A dream of abandonment, for instance, may signify the fear of the loss of loved one. Other popular interpretations include: being chased means feeling threatened; climbing signifies the desire to realize an ambition; falling is the feeling of loss or insecurity; killing an authority figure is due to the desire to break away from family, a job, a relationship or a way of life; missing planes, trains and busses signifies the fear of missing an opportunity; nudity is the fear of ridicule, exposure or embarrassment; and taking tests could be the representation of anxiety over a tough task. But other experts argue that dreams are meaningless, and merely the result of random nerve cell activity. They propose that dreaming may be the brain's method of unlearning, or cleansing itself of unnecessary information.
However, I believe that dreams are indeed meaningful. Two significant research findings back this opinion: firstof all,dreams have been shown to aid the learning process, and secondly, they are invaluable in the heaUng process linked to traumatic events. Each night, our sleep is marked by periods of intense activity, known as the rapid eye movement, or the R.E.M. stage of sleep. During this time, the pulse and breathing quicken, blood pressure fluctuates, eyes dart back and forth beneath closed lids- and we dream. R.E.M. sleep has been found to be crucial to learning, especially when we attempt to learn new skills or develop new cognitive strategies. A study conducted at Trent University in Ontario clearly demonsti^tes this relationship. A group of students were given two mental tasks on one day, a simple one that consisted of associating pairs of words, and a complex one involving elaborate mental gymnastics. At night, some students were awakened each time they slipped into th^ R.E.M. stage of sleep, others were roused several times during non-R.E.M. sleep, some were kept awake all night, and a few were allowed to sleep undisturbed. The next day, all four groups performed equally well on ^he easy task. But on the difficult one, the students who slept all night continued on page 3
DECEMBER
6,1991
COMMENTARY
Pops—there's that dirty word again by Jim Lawson Socialism! There. I said it. I'm not scared. Why should I be? Although the connotations are horrible, it's not a bad word. Americans today have been brought up to hate the word "socialism", associating it with "Russian" subversion. Somehow socialism—the redistribution of wealth by the government—has with the help of the Soviet Experiment become synonymous with totalitarianism. With elections just past and the Presidential Primaries approaching, social programs have become a hot issue. In Pennsylvania, for example, Harris Wofford defeated the Republican "shoe-in" Dick Thomburgh on a platform advocating socialized medicine, in which the federal government would run the country's health care program. Also, Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska hopes to capture the Democratic Presidential Nomination with a platform advocating public health care. These are good ideas. So are Social Security for the aging, unemployment benefits, and welfare. Most people would agree that those that can't help themselves should be helped by others. So who should do it? The government. Of course, the government. What a silly question! Who else would I be talking about? If people need food, then the government should give them food stamps. If people are unemployed, the government should give them a percentage of their wages until they can find another job. The elderly should get Social Security benefits. All of these things, in addition to housing, utihty, farming, and other subsidies, should be provided for by the government. Wait—isn't that the redistribution of wealth? Isn'tthat socialism?...Holy cow, itis! The government is taking its resources and giving them out to those who aren't fortunate enough to provide totally for themselves.
And, they're taking tax money—yes, hard earned tax money—to do it. Here the master plan hits a snag. Even the politicians haven't figured out a way to gloss this one over. Michael Dukakis had a vision for the restructuring of America; it might even have worked. The world will never know, though, because Dukakis committed political suicide: while people were reading George Bush's deceptive lips, Dukakis told people that he was going to raid their checkbooks to finance his plan. Bad move, Mike. While America might be ready for undeclared forms of socialism in their government, even calling for them in most cases, they aren't ready to pay for them. Americans want the best of both worlds. They want all the
All about our dreams or had only been interrupted during nonR.E.M. sleep performed vastly better than those who had either lost R.E.M. sleep, or stayed awake all night. Not only do dreams help us leam, but also, to deal with traumatic events. Dream analysis is extremely useful to therapists working with abuse victims who are either ashamed to fadmit what happened to them or become places where they relive the pain and humiliation of the their trama. Dreams are often described as "confusing", "depressing" and "silly" because they remind us of the very aspects of our lives that
we tend to ignore. Fear is the most common emotional response elicited by dreams, followed by anxiety, guilt, anger, and sadness. By recongnizing the representation of our core self and its puzzling emotions, we can better deal with our waking selves. Therefore, dreams can be seen as an opportunity to gain insight and control in many aspects of our lives. However, some dreams may seem so bizarre that it would be impossible to relate its meaning to the waking life. It is important to realize, then, that not every object, scene, character or action in a dream is analyzable.
services under the sun for free. Wake up America, nothing's free. All these great ideas cost money. Germany is a leading example of the socialist side of this argument. They have a good health care plan, unemployment benefits are liberal, and the government supports many public-good programs. The catch is, however, that tax rates border near 50%. Germans are given many benefits, but at a price. The bottom line is that if Americans want all the perks of a government that provides for them in their hour of need, then it's going to cost them. America is going to have to make up its mind. Now that it realizes that it wants at least a partially socialist system, America must decide if it is willing to pay the price. continued from previous page
Although there are numerous and conflicting views regarding dream interpretation, and how far it should be taken, a dream's meaning should not be delved into any further than what has an impact on the dreamer. As for winning the lotto, statistically the odds are stacked 7million ip one against you. You're actually more likely to get struck by lightening twice. Yet dreams are a place that "permits each of us to be quietly and safely lunatic". In other words, if no place else, you can live the life of your dreams in your dreams.
rEAniRES
DECEMBER
The right to die IF0CUS by Jennifer Johnson It's everyone's nightmare. A family member or loved one, on the brink of death after a terrible accident or illness. It's even worse to know that the one you love has the right to suffer by being kept alive by machines, but does not have the right to die. For Nancy Beth Cruzan's family, this situation lasted for seven years. Nancy had been in a car accident in 1983 and had gone into a coma. Even though she was brain dead and had no chance of recovery, Nancy was put on life support machines while her parents tried to get court orders to allow her to die. Nothing worked. After many rejections in court and $910,000 of the state of Missouri's money later, the Cruzans finally got their wish after Probate Court judge Charles E. Tell ruled that the feeding tube that was keeping Nancy "alive" be removed. Nancy died twelve days later. Judge Tell made his decision only after the former friends of Nancy told the court that Nancy had once told them she "never wanted to live like a vegetable," the clear proof states needed in order to make a decision about taking someone off of life support. That ruling was made one year ago on December 14, and since then there have been more cases of families going to court to get a ruling that allows their loved ones to die. However, getting such as ruling is difficult. Courts need clear proof that the person
hooked up to life support had previously stated that they would not want to be kept alive by machines if there was no hope whatsoever. The Cruzans were lucky to get a court order, even though it took seven years. They got it because of the friends' testimonies. However, if Nancy had had a living will, she would have been able to die much earlier, and avoid the suffering she endured as well as the time and effort of getting the court order. Though it seems convenient and less stressful for family members to have these living wills, less than 5% of adults in this country have them. "Most of us will face an illness that will interrupt out competence and require that someone else make decisions for us," said Dr. Joanne Lynn, a medical ethicist at George Washington University Medical School. "That someone now has their hands tied." So, if family members have their hands tied when someone is in a comatose state and they have no living will, then why don't more people get this legal solution? The thought of such a decision about whether to live or die may scare most, but it's a reality. And lately, right to die cases have come up more and more. In June of 1990, a doctor invented what was called a "suicide machine" and helped a 54-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease push a button on the machine that would inject lethal drugs into her body. The doctor was charged with first degree murder, but his case was later dismissed and he was told never to use his machine again. In August of the same year, a 72-year-old man helped his terminally ill wife die when
6,1991
on history
he tied a plastic bag around her head to insure death after she overdosed on pain killers. He was tried for murder. The question here is, should those who help sick p)eople end their suffering be praised or charged for murder? This question brings up a more recent subject dealing with the right to die issue. Recently, the book Final Exit has been feeling the heat about being in favor of death. In the book, the author explains and vividly describes the ways for terminally ill people to commit suicide. There is even a chapter that lists the ways in bold print. Bookstores have placed the book on their most recommended list. Should books like these be sold as "bestsellers" at the nation's bookstores? And are they convincing more and more people to end their lives? Amy Mossman, a sophomore at Maine South, feels they are. "Suicide books are wrong," Amy said. "Young teens who are considering suicide could buy Final Exit and really put it to use." Whether it's teens or adults reading the book, there are going to be deaths if people take what they read seriously. The right to die issue is a divided issue. The main questions are these - should people be kept on life support if there is no hope of recovery for them? Should family members be brought to court for helping their ill loved ones end their lives? Should anyone have the right to end their own lives? Nancy Cruzan didn't have the choice to end up in a coma, nor did she have the
Ridiculous Ridge regulations by Joy Duncan Ignorance of the law is never an excuse - or is it? Lawyers and judges themselves frequently have to consult their extensive law books to refresh their memories. Keeping track of federal and state law can sometimes be hard enough. Even our own Park Ridge municipal code contains some ultra specific, seemingly insignificant law. Why, you've probably broken laws that you aren't even aware of. Many of us started in a life of crime around age 5 under code 14-3-7. Squirt guns are illegal. And we very likely continued in our delinquent behavior by roller skating in the street, which is illegal under law 13-2-6. In
fact, the Park Ridge municipal code is very concerned with the welfare of the youth. Riding or hanging on to the exterior part of a car, commonly known as skitching (13-2-7), being loud at a show or theater (14-7-2), even creating an offensive or unwholesome odor (5-12-10), can get you a $10-S500 fine. Be warned before you voice a reaction, because "It shall be unlawful for any person to use profanity in any street, alley, or public place of the city. (14-2-10) By no means does the law stop there. The law provides for those too creative to be profane or dangerous. Article 14, chapter 2, section 11 properly discourages our becoming a transvestite population - "It is unlawful
to appear in any public place in clothes properly belonging to the opposite sex." For those thinking about being laid to rest next to Fluffy or Tweety in the back yard, think again. Park Ridge code specifically outlaws establishing your own cemetary (14-3-10.) Perhaps most unusual are our strict weed laws. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow weeds to grow off the sidewalk, street parkway, or alley after May 1 of every year (511-3 and 4.) With such a law, a Park Ridge horticultured sting operation may be an oplion. The law covers many other very important issues, such as traffic, parking, and building continued on next page
DECEMBER
6,1991 •
EATUREs _..::::::"'.
I don't have an addiction-do I? by Jennifer Johnson Your best friend is your television set. In your eyes a good piece of reading material is TV guide. Your idea of a terrific evening is spending it at home in the fantasy world of your favorite television show. Could you be addicted to TV? Maybe, depending on how you look at the situation. It seems television plays an important role in everyone's everyday life. From news to comedy to drama to movies, television has it all. But what is a TV addict? According to Maine South students, there are several definitions that may place someone in the category of TV junkie: —watching TV for more than seven hours straight —allowing TV to come before anything else —not being able to function without the TV set on —not being able to be away from the TV for long periods of time One student, who asked that her name not be used, claims that she was addicted to a television show, needing to watch and tape it every day, making it a part of her life. However, she denies that she is a TV junkie. "I may be addicted to a certain show, but not television," she said. But why would someone want to become immersed in the world of television in the first place? "I watch TV to pass some time and relax," says Patty Duca, a sophomore at Maine South. Since stress seems to be a large part of everyday life, many people may feel the need to escape the world of work and pressure by turning on the television.
Why is TV such a stress reliever? It could Boss? And today, with cable and VCR's, TV be the fact that j ust watching transports people watching shows no sign of decline. There are into a world where things are exciting and, in some cases, problems are solved in a half more exciting progams for every taste ranging from the avant garde to My Three Sons—and hour—the opposite of real life. less time to watch them. There are even shows What television programs best capture the that are worthwhile to watch—those educaattention of those looking for relief? According to a survey conducted by Teen tional programs that most people flip right magazine in 1990, the show teens chose as past with their remote control. It's obvious that television plays an importheir absolute favorite was Beverly Hills tant role in everyone's lives—it's where we 90210, a high school drama dealing with the everyday issues, concerns, and problems get laughter, news, and enjoyment. It's also where people become addicted. teens face. So if you think you may be falling into the In the category of shows teens would like category of a TV addict, you may want to to live in, if they were ever so lucky, were Beverly Hills 90210, Fresh Prince ofBel Air,think twice about turning the knob on your Full House, Growing Pains, and Who's theTV—or else it may become your new best friend.
Park Ridge lawsWord
continued from previous page codes. It is not always as specific as the aforementioned - it may simply state that it is unlawful to "act with intent to annoy another..." (14-5-2M) If there is ever any question about the legality of an act or issue the Park Ridge Municipal Code book can be found in the library or police department. Be it known, though, that while you are I gleefully skitching on a wonderfully unplowed road, or cheering and yelling at the VShow, or being adored by many for your MClub initiation costume, there could be someone watching - and he'll just smile when you say you didn't know it was against the law.
about new class
Many students at Maine South are currently enrolled in a foreign language such as Spanish, French, Italian, and German. But have you ever thought of taking a foreign language course consisting of Greek and Latin roots? "Word Clues," a new elective, has recently been introduced at Maine South this year. It is geared toward enhancing a student's vocabulary in order to provide greater success on the SAT's and ACT's. Mrs. Schreiber teaches this novel course, and explained that it teaches students to memorize roots, prefixes, and suffixes. These skills can help guide a student through diffi-
cult reading assignments or other problems that may arise concerning schoolwork. Mrs. Schreiber's innovative class of sixteen (there is still room for more) have a few ideas that they would like to change, however. They suggested that the class be called "Etymology" (the study of the origin of words), instead of the banal name "Word Clues," named after the text. First u-ialed ten years ago, "Word Clues" has opened many doors of knowledge to students. Sophomore Charity Trelease states that "'Word Clues' has broadened my vocabulary and now I feel as if I can identify just about any word by piecing the roots together."
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â&#x20AC;˘ DECEMBER
6,1991
There once was a man from Nantuckett... byLizzWilk After being portrayed as glamourous for a number of years, smoking is finally being portrayed as what it is-a dangerous and addictive habit. For the past 13 years, the third Thursday in November has been observed nationwide as the Great American Smokeout. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to give up smoking for 24 hours, in hope that they might be motivated to quit forever. Last year 37.8% of the nation's smokers participated in the Smokeout with almost 15% succeding in not smoking the whole 24 hours. This year the Great American Smokeout is hoping for 20% of the smokers to stay clean for at least the 24 hours, if not
Smokeout, Maine South came up with the idea of holding a limerick contest entitled, "How a Smoker Met His Final Days." Cash prizes of $20, S15, and $10 were awarded to the first, second, and third place winners respectively, while faculty winners received free meals. Altogether over 100 entries were received. In the student catagory, John Fredrickson won first place with this limerick: While I smoked I ignored physiology And I scorned all the laws of biology Now my life has turned sour I cough blood every hour As I stare at my lung in pathology. Megan Curtis received second place for her effort. Jon Forsythe's limerick received third place. Mr. Thomas Kerth won the faculty contest with his limerick:
Poor Wellington Smellington Rust Had a terrible nicotine lust Oh, he looked debonair As he lit up with flair, But his moustache would always combust. Mr. Kerth won a free dinner for his efforts. Honorable mention winners in the faculty contest, Mrs. Krejcik, Mrs. Berry, and Mrs. Haller, will receive a free school lunch. Chris Harris and Liz Carlson won honoralbe mentions in the student contest.
GUBATAMERKAN
SMOKEOUT
MS students break Food Drive record by Brenda Saavedra This year's Student Council sponsored food drive, entitled Students Reaching and Helping Everyone, or SHARE '91, held during the week of November 18th-22nd, was the most successful food drive in Maine South history, collecting over $5000 in donations. Rather than the traditional competition between homeroom complexes, the drive took on a new look this year. A contest was held between the freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior classes. During lunch periods, one collection container was assigned to each class. Paper money, along with quarters, dimes, and nickels in the container constituted
positive points for the class total, one point per cent. Each penny in a class' container would deduct points from their grand total, allowing members of other classes to sabatoge the other classes. The object of the competition was simply to accumulate the most positive points at the end of the week. The sophomore class, whose class council alone donated $350, won the competition with 194,091 points. In a homeroom assembly on Wednesday, November 27th, they were awarded the Spirit Trophy for their commendable efforts. In addition, each member of the sophomore class received a candy bar for his/
her participation. The senior class, whose class council donated $300, came in second place with 142,023 points. The juniors were not far behind with 119,317. The freshmen rounded out the field with 19,540. The S5000 will be presented in the form of food coupons to three charitable organizations: The Maine Township Food Pantry, whose resources are currently exhausted; Marillac House, which assists those in need on the west side of Chicago; and Little Sisters of the Poor in Palatine, an organization devoted to the aid of the elderly poor.
October Students of the Month recognized The Students of the Month for October are: Art/Photo: Peter Szczelina, Jacqueline Metier, loan Marinau, Elizabeth Gallinger. Buisiness: Brian Walsh, Richard Mills, Gracie Greco, Julie Caccavella, Brian Hameder, Vanessa Marcol, Brandy Preston. Driver Education: Marc Mazzuca, Michael Kostrzewa, Margaret Ciprian, Daniel Kronenfeld. English: Joseph Arcuri, Erik Brandenburger, Carolyn Chandler, Sean Denham, Kari Detloff, Erin Fitzgerald, Paul Guercio, Kristian Ho, Heather Kirschke, Amy Lekan, Tim Lynch, Jon Metier, Michio Murakshi, Anna Nommensen, Hideyasu Ohata, Rudyarrd Sadleir, Katharine Saracco, Jennifer Sass, Teresa Ryan. Foreign Language: Joseph Arcun, Paul
Cheong, Renata Ganday, Turea Kenski, Lilliana Minkowycz, Dimitrios Mougolias, Todd Ofenloch, Erin Shields, Ryan Sipkovsky, Charity Trelease, Amy Witek. Health: Michael Parrie, Andrea Armour Home Economics : Karen Buettner, Melissa Hagenauer, Kim Merz, Irene Scardino, Michelle Weihs, Rob Janas, Sarah Voorhees. Industrial Education/Applied Technology: Brandon Bisek, Philip Duszcyk, Richard Elliott, Jason Metier, Jeffery Deterding. Mathematics: Amy Lyons, Kim McClusky, Patrice Townsend, Karen Buettner, Joan Hoffman, Anne Butera, Kiyoshi Sekikawa, Scott Cameron, Sarah Benedict, Ryan Carlino, Joseph Chasen,
Susan Lynch. Music: Chika Saeki, Christen Coomer. Physical Education: Suzanne Auge, Brendan Barry, Anita Bringas, Joseph Fabian, Maureen Gill, Laura Hanson, Peter Szczelina, Susan Sroka, Kevin Wong. Science: Megan Curtis, Susan White, Michael Nakis, Michael Parente, Sebastian Fuska, Michele Manning, Vincent DeJulio, Paul Zurawski, Raymond Albin, Doran Puckett, Sarah Merz, Irene Walsh, Jeffery Moris, Jennifer Schuberth, Tom Papahronis. Social Science: Michael Brown, Steve Chiagouris, Kevin Donovan, Nathan Hultman, Kathleen Mahoney, Liliana Minkowycz, Michael Parrie. Speech/Drama: Sheila Roche, Darren Preston.
DECEMBER
6,19911
Improvement of sports facilities People are often too quick in passing judgement about many things. For instance, take the fields at Maine South. People are quick to say "What crummy fields. They don't do anything about them." And while the fields may not seem to be in the best possible condition, the athletic department spends much time and energy improving all sports facilities at Maine South. Varsity football coach Phil Hopkins said, "The football practice fields are in an awful shape. They present a danger to the athlete." This presents a one-sided view of the issue. Mr. Hopkins continued, "There is a very real attempt being made to improve the fields." The Evanston soccer coach said that "(Maine South) is trying very hard to improve the fields....this field is much better than it was last year." There is a very real attempt to improve the outdoor facilities. This year marked the final year of a five year plan, which started in 1987, to completely rebuild the fields. In 1987, the soccer practice fields were rebuilt. In 1988, the sophomore football practice field was rebuilt. The stadium was resodded in 1989. Last year one soccer practice field and a softball diamond were rebuilt. This year had two baseball diamonds and football practice fields rebuilt. However, the fields still are not perfect, nor will they ever be. Jim Rees, athletic director of Maine South, gave several very real reasons as to why the fields aren't in better shape, the main reason being the fact that the school was built on a dump. In normal soil, there is a level of clay below teh topsoil which keeps the ground from settling. This layer is absent from the ground, causing the numerous potholes and uneveness in the fields.
The overabundance of weeds and scanty grass is due to the compounded damage of the droughts of 1989 and 1991 and new Environmental Protection Agency restrictions on weed killers. In 1990, a four inch water main was installed from Dee Road and a water cannon was purchased so that all of the fields could be watered. The school is also affected by the watering bans implemented in the summer. The weeds cannot be completely killed because new EPA regulations require that people stay off the sprayed fields for a specified number of days. This is impractical because there aren't any empty fields to use for that time. Also, without the weeds, many of the fields would be only dirt. Another very important factor of field conditions is the actual use of the fields. The fields are officially in use from September through October and from March through June. This leaves the summer to do any work. During the months the fields are in use, not only are the sports teams practicing and playing on them, but also the physical education classes use them. In addition to these people, many outside people, such as ethnic soccer teams, corporate softball teams, and even Notre Dame High School, wish to use Maine South' s facilities. Mr. Rees is forced to turn all of these people away, but still many people use the fields. Many of thes people are thrown out by the school security, but still others aren't caught. "It's like a father with little kids trying to reseed the back yard. It's hard to do with everybody on it," said Mr. Rees. The fields are not the only ones being worked on. One of the important additions was the Fitness Center. Although not the first of its kind in the area, according to Mr. Rees,
South's is "the only really well thought out one. The others just evolved." There are plans to add a Stairmasler in the future. The original weight room in the fieldhouse was enlarged two hundred percent and some new equipment was added. Mr. Hopkins and the football team were "grateful for the enlargement." This summer the fieldhouse itself was resurfaced with Mondo Super-X, the best available material for indoor tracks. Mr. Duchaj, trainer at South, said that there might be a reduction in lower leg stress and tendinitis during the indoor track season. With the new track surface, special tarps were purchased for the gymnastics area to keep chalk off the floor, and a new cleaning machine was bought. The outdoor track was also resurfaced. Since it was lastresurfaced in 1984, part of the track had settled, due to the aforementioned soil make-up. The training room is brand new this year. Prior to this, space was such a problem that treatment for injuries was done in shifts. The new, bigger training room eliminates the need for this. According to Mr. Duchaj, the new u^aining room lowers his stress level and makes tteatment more efficient. There were two significant changes in the pool area. The starting blocks were moved to the deep end to conform with new IHSA safety rules. With the move, the timing system was rewired so that it ran under the pool. A new diving stand was also installed. Most of this work is done by the Maine South custodial staff. This saves money, but also increases building time because the custodians must also fulfill their other responsibilities.
Lacrosse infiltrates l\/laine South A new sport has arisen at Maine South this past year, boy's lacrosse. For those of you who have never heard of it, lacrosse is very similar to hockey. It is not played on ice, but on a soccer-sized field. A ball is thrown around in the air and is caught in sticks with small nets at one end. The object is to score on the goalie, who protects a 6'x6' goal. Movement in the hour long game is permitted behind the goal, and the team consists of a goalie, defensemen, midfielders, and offensemen known as attackers. A helmet, shoulder pads, gloves, and elbow pads are required not
only because the ball is thrown fast and hard, but also because checking is legal. The game is played very fast with a lot of physical energy. Started just a few months ago, the sport had drawn nearly twenty players ranging from seniors to freshmen. The team was created by senior Andy Motiwalla, who personally recruited the entire team and set up an agreement with Dr. Allen for the use of the field house. The team practices one day each week, Tuesday, in the field house after school. The team is coached by Dave Rodgers, a
non-member of the Maine South faculty. He grew up in the East where lacrosse is extremely popular. Dave has played lacrosse since he was a boy and all throughout his college years. He has spent numerous hours coaching the team members, many of which had no prior experience. The team is improving each week and will definately be a strong contender in its upcoming games. The lacrosse team is still recruiting new players, and anyone interested in joining the team can stop by the field house on Tuesday afternoons during practice for further information.
8'
I DECEMBER 6,1991
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B-ball struggles to learn new system This years girls' basketbal! team has had a disappointing opening to their season. Against their first opponent, Libertyville, the Hawks played well, but came up short, losing 47-58. Cara Roames paced the Hawks with 13 points, followed by Holly Francis with 11. Anne Zoellner grabbed 9 rebounds and assisted 9 times in the losing effort. The Hawks then went on to play New Trier, always a tough opponent. Even though the Hawks played tough, when the buzzer went off at the end of the fourth quarter the Hawks came up short, 4861. Roames again led the Hawks with 12 points, supported again by Francis with 9. It might seem that this year's Hawks are not a strong team, however, that is not the case. With five returning Varsity players; seniors Sarah Wanat, Holly Francis, Katy Zimmermann, Ann Zoellner, and Angie Meyer, the Hawks have a bright future. The Varsity team is also helped out by seniors Cara Roames, Amie Roames, and Juniors Maureen Nugent, Stacy Ladra, Maggie Ciprian, Lisette Mroz, and Kelli Reaney. Their main challenge lies in adapting to a new system. With the graduation of all-state
MAII'Conference Hawks II Boys' Cross Country Andy Gallios
I
Girls' Cross Country
fSusan Crawford, Andrea Armour
Football Mike Ogorek, Dan Lannn JeffKilburg
Soccer
center Emmy Pasier last year, the Hawks are left with a team lacking height, so they will try to spread defenses with outside shots from beyond the 3-point line. Against Libertyville, the Hawks put up 23
Swimmers conclude season At the end of the girls swimming season, the team ended up tied for third in conference. Nancy Green and Melissa Hill were both named all-conference. In the IHSA Sectional Meet, the Hawks placed sixth overall, and just missed fifth place by four points. Next year, however, Maine South will have a diving team to add points to their score. The Hawks placed in the top six at Sectionals in several events: the 200 Medley Relay team of Amy Carlson, Cori Barker, Nancy Green, and Melissa Hill placed third with a time of 1:58.19, missing IHSA State
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by the narrow margin of 3.1 points. The totalf was Hawks 112.7, the Spartans 109.6. Monica Huettinger received an 8.8 on vault and a 32.3 all around. All together her average for the meet was 8.075. Kristen Neisler, who the team did not expect to particapate this season due to reconstructive knee surgery, received a 7.8 on bars and 7.2 on the floor. Ms. Cain the coach of the girl's gymnastics team says,"This will be a building season for the team.
The girls' gymnastics team is looking towards a promising season. This year's Vars ity squad consists of senior Nancy Gieen; Juniors Katie Bochenek, Monica Huettinger, Michelle Marrese, and Kristen Neisler; sophomores Tamara Borck and Tracy Haas; and freshman Holly Hameder. The JV is composed of Juniors Una Curran; sophomores Heidi Pannke, Jennifer Bartee, Melanie Johnsen, Dawn LaBrose, Amy Lyons, Kristen McGrath, and Jenny Rice. The team's first meet was against the Glenbrook North Spartans. The Hawks won
Nancy Green, Melissa Hill Elizabeth Meyer
quaUfying time only one second; in the 50 freestyle. Hill took fourth place and qualified for state with a time of 25.39; Nancy Green took third place in the 100 fly with a time of 1:04.49; Hill took third place and missed state by .23 withatimeof55.62inthe 100 freestyle; the 200 freestyle relay composed of Kate Reynolds, Barker, Green, and Hill came in fourth place with a time of 1:46.00 missing the state qualifing time by 1.31 seconds; and the 400 freestyle relay of Kris Cassin, Erika Bondarowicz, Sue Swanson, andReynolds placed fifth with a time of 4:06.47.
Gymnasts open with narrow win
Gymnastics
I Kevin Anderson, Karl Meland, Dean Patras, Jay Wietecha Matthew Williams
from beyond the arc, yet only two were good. Against New Trier, they attempted only eight 3-pointers, but hit fifty percent, so confidence is high that the system is beginning to fall into place.
Leyden Deerfield Y—10:00
Season be »ins Feb. 7 Season be lins Feb. 6