Vol 6 issue 8

Page 1

Volume 6, No. 8

Maine Township High School South, Park Ridge, III.

February 6,1970

English Professor From Brazil Tours American High Schools

Cast members Ann Carlson, Margurite Meier and Dave Chastain rehearse for upcoming production of "Flowers for Algernon",

Dixon School Visited by Maine South Thespians Members of the cast of Flowers for Algernon visited the Dixon State School for the Mentally Handicapped on January 26. Flowers for Algernon, this year's arena play, is a production concerning a retarded adult who has his intelligence increased by surgery. One of the emotional problems Charlie experiences is in trying to make people realize that a retardate should be regarded as a person, too. The purpose of the trip to the Dixon home was for the cast to receive some firsthand experience with retardates. It gave them a chance to talk with some people who had worked with retardates as well as a chance to observe the retardates themselves. Said Mr. Hal Chastain, director of Flowers for Algernon, "Dixon is a self-contained community of 3500 retarded people. They work, learn, eat, worship, and horse around just like people who have normal intelligence." "I don't think any of us really

knew exactly what to expect before we made this trip. But those who went can easily see that retardates are real people." Carol Mickelsen, stage manager, said, "The purpose of this trip was to let us see mentally retarded children in normal day-to-day situations." The role of Charlie is played by Dave Chastain, '71. He described the people at Dixon as "wanting badly to be with somebody different." Said Dave, "Some of these people can't do the things we take for granted, such as dressing themselves or eating with a fork. But just seeing them helped strengthen the impression of these people as human beings." Connie King, '70, said: "AH people should be exposed to the fact that there are so many people who arc mentally retarded." Another cast member, Peter Bloomfield, said, "It's the first time I've been so moved to want to help these people, because they can be helped; I don't think they should be as forgotten as they are."

Candidates Plan For Elections Preparations for the upcoming elections of next year's Student Council officers are now under way. Prospective candidates with a five semester average of 2.5 can pick up their petitions for the offices of president and secretary in the Personal Office today, and must return them with 200 signatures by 3:45 on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Candidates will be introduced and will give summaries of their platforms at homeroom sessions for each class Feb. 16, 17, 18 and 20. Three "Meet Your Candidate" sessions wiU be held in C-145 after school on Feb. 24 and 26 as well as March 5. At these sessions candidates will present their platforms and answer directed questions from the students. A primary election may be held on Feb. 23 to narrow down the number of candidates to three per office. Skits involved with nominations and the seconding of candidates will be presented at a Pre-election Assembly on March 4. Candidates will deliver formal speeches at the Election Assembly on March 11. Voting wUl take place the following day. Organizations Chairman of SC, Bill Barmier, feels, "These assemblies most directly affect the students and are worthwhile for their creativity and the ideas presented. Since the dress code

issue has been resolved and there has been good communication between SC and the administration this year, it should be interesting to see what new areas candidates will deal with." Because of a change in the election procedure earlier this year, a separate election will be held for the vice-president and treasurer after Spring Vacation.

"America's youth are the best asset it has. Their idealistic involvement in world situations is very promising," said Mr. Paulo da Silvira Almeida, visitor to Maine South. Mr. Almeida is an English teacher in Brazil who is visiting America on a Fulbright Scholarship to perfect his command of the language and knowledge of the culture. He is one of a group of 103 people from all over the world who spent the fall semester at the University of Texas at Austin and then toured through California, New Mexico and Arizona. Mr. Almeida then went on to Springfield, Illinois and to Maine South for one week and Mount Prospect for a week. One point Mr. Almeida mentioned about American students was that they were not as well informed about world situations as students of his country were about the United States. "You are the leaders of the democratic countries and it is important that you know something about the countries you must lead," he said. Mr. Almeida teaches English as a foreign language in Petropolis, Brazil, which is 50 miles north of Rio de Jenero. In Brazil the schools are generally

smaller than here. Students enter school at the age of six or seven, attending an elementary school for four to five years. They then go to a junior high school for four years and a senior high school for three years. Students are about nineteen years old when they take the college entrance examinations. Student newspapers in Brazil are usually supervised by the teacher of Brazilian, but it is generally the students who put the newspaper together, with the teacher being available for advice. The Amazon Basin of Brazil is very tropical and largely undeveloped. Because of this, the Brazilians moved their capital from Rio to Brazilia in the interior so that more roads could be built there and to further the development of the interior region. The experiment has been very successful in developing the area with the population now reaching 450,000. "The Brazilians have made more progress in the opening of the interior in the last ten years than in the past thirty years," Mr. Almeida noted. With the development of the largest country in South America, Brazil, it becomes increas-

2 7 Students Leave South After Seventh Semester While June is the traditional time, there are some students who choose to graduate in January of their senior year. There were 27 semester graduates at Maine South this year. In order to graduate in January, a senior must have received his full 16 credits. This usually means taking five solids in the first three years, and picking up a credit in summer school. The semester graduate also needs to receive the signatures of his present teachers to prove that he is passing all his subjects. The student is also given some forms to fill out in order to graduate. Those who graduate at the semester can come back in

Brotherhood Nominal'ions Complete; Jay Kesslor To Speak at Assembly Brotherhood Week, Feb. 16-20, of each class that receive the "gives everyone an opportunity most votes will be initiated into to take part in the activities Brotherhood Society and remain planned by Brotherhood Society members for the rest of the and is also a reminder of some- time they are in high school. thing that should be practiced This election will culminate all year," according to Crris with the announcement of this Hookanson, president. year's new members at the BroOn Feb. 5 each homeroom therhood Assembly on Feb. 19. nominated 3 boys and 3 girls for induction into Brotherhood Jay Kesslar, the associate diSociety. Any person nominated rector of Campus Life, will by 3 homerooms is eligible for speak at the assembly. the final election next WednesDuring the week, Brotherhood day, Feb. 11. Society will also collect combs, Chris said that the qualities toothbrushes, and other necessiof "friendliness to all, leader- ties for impoverished children, ship, unselfishness, non-preju- as well as money to buy more dice, and the willingness to give of these items. Either children time and talent in service to on the south side of Chicago others" should be considered in or overseas will receive these. voting. She also stressed that Chris said that Brotherhood "this isn't a popularity contest, Society also plans a cookie sale so don't vote just to vote." and a show for orphans later in The three boys and three girls the year.

June to receive their diploma with the rest of their class. Mike Tinaglia is one of the students who graduated from South in January. Said Mike, "There are many advantages in graduating at the semester. It's an easy outlet for business experience if you lack the motivation for school. If you need money for college, it's a good way to get it." Mike also listed some disadvantages. "By leaving school, you break off relations with your friends still in school. You also miss out on second semester activities." January graduates include John Borucki, Nancy Buckley, Donna Castle, Craig Chaimberlain, John Christensen, Annette Doornbos, Cynthia Golding, Nancy Greisman, Linda Groh, Roberta Indra, Megan Jones, Phil Konopka, Christi Kopzewski, John Laugesen, Susan Lazarski, and Christine Liner. Continuing the list are Judi Lundine, Linda Metropulos, Ella M o o r e , Kathryn O'Malley, Wayne Pahr, Tim Peterson, Warren Schneider, Patricia Sklade, V i n c e Steder and Roman Terlecki.

ingly important that the youth of America learn about this and other countries on this hemisphere. "The students of America are vitally interested in the affairs not only of their own country, but of all the world. The youth is America's hope for the future," the foreign visitor noted.

Graffiti Will Go On Sale Graffiti goes on sale next week! The staff of the creative writing magazine has high hopes for this year's edition. Bill Mellberg, sales manager, hopes for record-breaking sales this year, and to achieve this, an ambitious sales campaign is being started. "We're approaching this campaignpaign with the idea of changing somewhat the image of the magazine. We want to make it entertaining, amusing, and meaningful to everyone. I think it will be, and we're going to try to get that idea across when we sell it, "Bill said. The magazine will be sold in subscription form February 10, 11, 13, and 16. Salesmen will visit each English class on these days to take orders. The price of Graffiti will be one dollar. At the same time, Graffiti judges are still accepting material for the magazine. Everyone is encouraged to submit their creative writing for consideration by the end of February. Material should be turned in at either the bookstore or in the publications office (V-106). Boxes are positioned at these locations to drop material in to. Entries for the magazine are now being accepted and will be until aproximately March 15. To aid the judging staff, however, students should submit their works as soon as possible.

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Councirs Delegates Hear Dr. ShortDr. Richard Short, Superintendent of the Maine High Schools, was guest speaker at the January 27 meeting of the Central Suburban League. Delegates from six of the eight student councils heard Dr. Short speak on a wide variety of topics concerning the modern educational system. Dr. Short related a few of the changes he has observed taking place during his years as an educator. He also gave his opinions on some problems facing students today such as scholas-

tic pressures and college. An informative question and answer period followed Dr. Short's speech, with the Superintendent candidly answering many questions the delegates asked. Dr. Short's presentation was part of the plan for revised CSL meetings. Maine South hosted this first meeting on a reorganized basis which includes a short business meeting followed by a program planned by the host school.


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