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The Last Stanz

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:56:07 +0000

Procrastination
and the
College Freshman

I want to talk about procrastination. Truth be told, it is an epidemic amongst high schoolers, from freshmen to seniors. Why do we do it? I’m curious to know. When we come home, many of us don’t start our homework until hours after checking Facebook and our e-mails and going online and video chatting with friends…why? I don’t understand it, yet I’m guilty of this, too. I get distracted easily or I get caught up in something that has nothing to do with my homework.
But really, why do we procrastinate? We know the implications: procrastination means we’ll start our homework late, which means we’ll rush and do a poor job. Then, we won’t be able to go to sleep at a decent time, which means we’ll be tired the next day, which means we’ll pay less attention in school, and so on and so forth. Procrastination negatively affects the sports we play and the classes we take, not to mention our sleep cycle and work ethic. It upsets our parents and our teachers. We don’t feel like we’ve been successful in our studying – our grades suffer, our sense of accomplishment suffers.
I don’t like to think into the future, but I will just for a moment. I’m slightly scared that next year in college, I won’t arrive with a grounded work ethic. I’ll want to procrastinate, I’ll get distracted, I’ll put off my work. But is that really what I want? Not at all. I want to finish high school with a serious sense of my abilities as a worker. I want to be able to focus and finish things at a decent time. I want to sleep! The fact that I’m worried about this concerns me: I should be able to put a stop to this before I move on to college, where I will be completely independent. Isn’t it time to step up my work ethic?
So how can I make this happen? How can I turn over a new leaf, as my second semester as a senior no less? I think the easiest thing is to write goals. This week, I took a post-it note and wrote down the assignments I wanted to complete everyday. It’s a rocky and a slow start, but at least it’s a step. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Is There a Place in Our Society for Creativity?

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:54:32 +0000

“Excrement! That’s what I think of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard! We’re not laying pipe! We’re talking about poetry. How can you describe poetry like American Bandstand? ‘I like Byron, I give him a 42 but I can’t dance to it!’”-John Keating from Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society is about an English teacher, John Keating, at a prestigious prep school who pushed his students to break from the conformity of their world and to find themselves through poetry and literature. The very first scene in which Keating interacts with his students is an explosive one. On the first day of classes the boys have already resigned themselves to the dull and boring curriculum propagated by the rest of the school, when Keating walks in. He commands the boys to open their poetry books and to read the essay entitled “Understanding Poetry.” The essay essentially presents a rubric/scale for rating the quality of a poem. Keating then instructs his students to rip the essay from their books.
The scenario with Keating presents an interesting question; does an evaluation based on a rubric present a true reflection of the quality of the piece? The basic principle behind the existence of rubrics is to create a universal system of judgment. The assumption with this principle is that a rubric, like the one presented in Dead Poets Society, can be applied across the field, or all poetry. This implies that in order to be of quality something must adhere to the rubric.
But Frost and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz do not fit the same points on the rubric and yet they are both considered poetic masters. If one were to receive high marks the other would surely fail. Just as Mr. Keating pointed out, the rubric does not apply where poetry or art is concerned. Well, Picasso gets points for creativity but he just has no idea how to do a portrait and Dalí has a nice use of color but no sense of proper form. The Beatles have a very catchy rhythm but offer nothing of substance and Etta James has a powerful voice but she doesn’t score well overall. Fitzgerald is vague and too caught up in the sound of his words and Nabakov is too sexual. Al Pacino should only play gangsters and Sidney Poitier should only play “black” roles.
These men and women changed their crafts and challenged the stereotypes, the so-called rubrics of their day. The aforementioned artists revolutionized everything that was perfectly acceptable. Whether you like it or not, art has never been the same since Picasso, movies changed because of Poitier, and literature transformed because of Nabakov’s Lolita. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are both considered to be great bands. Yet a comparison between the two is absurd. They are so different and unique in their own way, to try and rate them utilizing the same scale is ludicrous. So if great art can’t be critiqued with a simplistic rubric, why is our education and the way we learn, an infinitely complex process, graded based on a rubric?
In education rubrics are a way of life. There are history rubrics and English rubrics, and even TOK rubrics. There is seemingly no end to the number of charts I have seen that determine for me what is and is not of quality, the assumption being that I or the individual grading the work, is not capable of understanding “quality” work without some sort of guideline. This in turn implies that those who create the rubrics are more capable and more aware of what is quality than the rest of us. Rubrics are created in attempt to set some sort of standard because there is an inherent lack of faith in the individual’s ability to grade objectively. But objective grading is not that end all be all it appears to be.
A while ago, as an assignment in my Theory of Knowledge class, I had to grade two sample essays. I remember when discussing the grade of the second essay the class gave it abysmally low marks, as did the IB graders. They all adhered to the rubric. Yet I have to confess there was something profoundly brutal in their assessment. When I read the paper and forgot about the rubric, I saw a valiant effort to create a paper about a subject the author was genuinely interested in. In my eyes there certainly could have been improvements but I did not think as a response to the prompt the paper was of a drastically poor quality. Perhaps I would not have minded so much if I did not know the stock we put in the ability of rubrics to grade quality. Rubrics make it easy, hit points A, B, and C and you get a good grade, if you miss them you fail. God forbid should we ever encourage children to deviate from the beaten path or that we should use our minds to judge quality for ourselves.
Is there a rubric for ethics or are they prey to the subjective nature of a person’s individuality? What happens when we do create rubrics for things like ethics, we get laws, laws that do not allow for the unique scenario that is every human being’s life. We create laws to protect us, to keep people in line, but maybe there’s a problem with the rubric when we have two million people in prison and no sign of reduction. Have we become so lazy as to look at crime strictly though a rubric with no consideration for the human life we are dealing with? Can one view history through a rubric? Well, Mao killed 70 million and Hitler only 11 million so, as far as the rubric goes, Mao is far more evil than Hitler. If you could find one Holocaust survivor that agrees with that statement I would be shocked. But that’s the sort of “fact,” the kind of answer that our societal rubrics perpetuate.
I understand the purpose of rubrics. They offer control and provide us students with a feeble sense of comfort, “As long as I stick to the rubric I’ll get a good grade.” The attempt to reduce opinion and to focus on a concrete idea of what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and what is not. Well the world is not black and white but a whole smattering of different shades of grey. A rubric cannot be applied to art, to history, to ethics, so why then do we apply it to our education, the very building blocks of our intellectual originality. If we don’t have enough faith in our teachers to be fair without rubrics, how can we ever expect our children to believe in themselves and to think outside the box? If we stop encouraging ourselves to break the mold how can we as a species ever hope to grow?

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:52:05 +0000

The Western impression of Oriental and African cultures is largely distorted by the media. However, to what extent does the Western perspective of these cultures promote conflict, even violence and war? As a foreigner, I have been able to experience for myself the general impression that Westerners have of Eastern cultures. For the most part, the West’s impression of the East is mostly antiquated and outdated. In general, Westerners still think of Africa as one or a whole, instead of a multitude or collection of different nations, each with its own unique customs and cultures. The Westerners still think of Africa as filled with dense jungles and wild animals, along with poor and warring tribes—a divided people. Additionally, Westerners who have not read Chinua Achebe or Chimamanda Adichie— Africans who can truly describe their own people and their own culture, cannot fully appreciate these cultures. Yet, even those who have read these authors can have an inaccurate view. In a lecture discussing her latest works, Adichie recounts the shock of some Western college professors who read her pieces—they were shocked because she portrayed her nation with a modern perspective. She portrays an industrialized and organized African nation.
Many Westerners also remain ignorant of the fact that many of the problems faced by Africans are due to Western consumerism. The West has exploited Africa’s natural resources for decades—ever since imperialist expansion policies that began in Europe during the Industrial Revolution. Today, the West still exploits Africa’s wealth: her diamonds. The diamond mines of Africa will continue to be a source of violence and destruction as long as there are plenty of eager consumers who wish to buy diamonds. American consumerism and media is particularly to blame for the problems in Africa’s diamond mines, as diamond sales are promoted with slogans such as this: Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
Many Westerners, especially Americans, also seem to hail Jhumpa Lahiri as a modern Indian writer; however, Lahiri never lived in India. In fact, she is the product of her Western upbringing. I remember reading her Interpreter of Maladies in ninth grade along with the rest of my classmates. While my English teacher hailed her as an extremely gifted writer who voiced the social issues faced by her people, I could not agree with such a proclamation. I recognized that she wrote well. However, how could she voice the issues faced by her people when she has never lived amongst her people? I found her impressions of India to be extremely negative—she focused on Diaspora, famine, poverty, castes. She ignored the Indian peoples’ resilience, their strength, their unity, their diversity. Lahiri was merely writing about India from a Western point of view.
Today, the West also faces issues with the Middle East and the general Western impression of the Muslim religion has come from the Western media’s coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the situation in Iran. In the United States, American casualty numbers are consistently emphasized in newspapers; whereas American headlines seem to forgot to discuss the thousands of Iraqi civilian deaths that arose from an unnecessary and useless war. However, when I was staying with my grandparents in India during the summer of 2007, I read Indian newspaper headlines chronicling the Iraqi civilian deaths and the United States’ numerous blunders in Iraq under the Bush administration. The language used by the newspapers of India and the United States served to emphasize different problems with respect to Iraq. The Indian newspapers tended to be more explicit about the number of casualties and the general chaos and plight of the Iraqi civilians; whereas the Philadelphia newspapers barely used a few lines to discuss the situation of the Iraqi civilians.
A lack of communication and understanding between the Eastern and Western nations will only lead to further misunderstandings and further violence. The only way to stop such issues is to demand that the Western media give balanced coverage of events around the world. The Times of India places a heavy emphasis on International news; whereas, the Philadelphia Inquirer merely focuses on local news, creating the ignorance of American readers with respect to International news and different cultural views.

Imagine A World without AP or IB

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:41:40 +0000

The decision to take AP and IB classes weighs on students starting even from the eighth grade or earlier. Our competitive, “rat race” society has gotten to such an extreme point that students (and parents) are planning their ‘ticket’ into college by way of the classes they take throughout their high school career. And administrations are not shying away from the benefits: the more high caliber classes they offer and the more students that are admitted to the Ivy League schools, the better reputation the high school achieves. Dropping, or completely erasing, AP and IB classes from schools has its advantages and its disadvantages, but I am of the opinion that it should be done.
Having AP and IB, by looking at their history, on your schedule gives some kind of magic signal to university admissions officers that you are a student who challenges himself/herself and is ready for college. Top-notch universities repeat the phrase that they want to see students who have taken the hardest schedule of classes available at the school you go to. The result is that students load their schedules with hard classes and are overwhelmed with work. All-nighters become habitual and stress becomes a companion. The implications of these classes apply great emotional pressure on all of the students, across the nation.
At the same time, if schedules filled with AP and IB classes are what universities are looking for, is it fair for some high schools to take them away from students? This would put the students, who cannot take high level classes, at a disadvantage compared to those that can. Consequently, the students run the risk of not being admitted to the college or university of their choice because their school could not offer them what they needed. Taking away these classes also means that the high school’s reputation would go down the drain because it cannot be at the same status as the other schools who do have AP and IB classes in their curriculum. Additionally, parents who are feeding into the overachiever culture would protest to the school, affecting its reputation. In all, erasing the AP and IB would influence the students, the parents, and the school negatively.
Then again, it is not fair that students must be in a class that works towards a test. This takes away from the learning that could be happening if there was no looming exam at the end of the course, namely the AP or the IB exams. It would also change the dynamic of the class because it would eliminate any students who are just taking the class to score well on the exam, giving the room a better vibe since it is filled with interested students. In addition, the teachers would be less constricted to teaching specifically to the test. The curriculum would be more relaxed and flexible, and there would be no panicky rushing at the end if something has not been taught. Instead of taking a class to learn for the test, the students would see the true purpose of school, namely to learn for learning’s sake. This is extremely important.
In the end, although I think a high school without AP or IB classes would be much better for the whole community of students and parents, it is unlikely to happen. The standards that admissions officers hold for students at their institutions would have to change before anything could happen in the high schools. And before even that, the society’s mindset about competition and education would have to change as well. As much as I would like to see it transform, I am afraid it would take a lot of work, and I do not know if we are ready for that. But imagine….

Valentine’s Day— Commercial or Sentimental?

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:39:54 +0000

Each year, the malls overflow with red, pink, and white—Valentine’s Day merchandise. Thousands of stores advertise hearts and flowers and teddy bears and candy. Logos and balloons shine brightly on walls—I love you, be mine, sweetheart. Each year over a billion Valentine’s Day cards are bought, making it the second most celebrated holiday. Approximately 85% of these cards are bought by women. The desire for candy and flowers also increases drastically in the month of February. In 2005, Americans consumed approximately 25 pounds of chocolate on average. That very same year, flower sales generated $397 million and, in 2006, jewelry sales generated $2.6 billion. Is this really what Valentine’s Day should be about? Or is this what Valentine’s Day has become?
Believe it or not, Valentine’s Day dates back to the Roman Empire—February was an exciting and joyous time of the year due to the Lupercalia Festival commemorating spring. The festival paid respects to Faunus, the god of agriculture, as well as Romulus and Remus, the very founders of Rome. Men, women, and children would clean the house for the new spring season, traditionally sprinkling salt and wheat in their homes. The festival began with the Roman priests gathering in the very cave where Romulus and Remus where thought to be raised by a wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat and a dog—the strips of hide from the goat were thought to bring fertility to the women of Rome while the blood of the dog was meant to purify Rome. That very same evening, it is believed that the women of Rome would place their names in an urn, and the single men would withdraw a name from the urn—this signified that the couple was destined to remain together for the year and these pairings often resulted in marriages. However, Christianity deemed these pairings as pagan and it is thought that the Church created Valentine’s Day in order to shadow the Lupercalia Festival.
Valentine’s Day was always meant to be romantic—the holiday was named after St. Valentine, who was a hero for all young couples. When Emperor Claudius II banned marriage because he feared that his soldiers would desert the army in order to remain with their wives, St. Valentine would secretly marry the couples. However, St. Valentine was jailed for his disobedience and condemned to death—according to legend, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter who would visit him, signing his last letter to her: From your Valentine.

The Harriton Coffee House

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:38:19 +0000

On January 12th a tremendous earthquake hit the island nation of Haiti, affecting the capital of Port-au-Prince and much of the surrounding area. Before the quake, Haiti was the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. The earthquake only exacerbated the problem; it decimated any structure present in the struggling country. Buildings crumbled, trapping people underneath, killing over one hundred thousand individuals and wounding many more. The aftermath of the disaster left essentially the entire population jobless and homeless. Relief efforts were put immediately underway, but faced difficulties due to a near collapse of government. Over a month later the situation is still grim, and there is a pressing need for monetary donations.
This is where Harriton Juniors Catherine Haslam and Helen Gaynor step in. With the help of social studies teacher Dr. McKenna the students organized a highly successful fundraiser. “We went to Dr. McKenna and asked him if he had any ideas for a fundraiser to support Haiti. It was right after the earthquake and we felt it important to raise money and support through the school,” said Helen Gaynor. “He mentioned that he had organized ‘coffee houses’ in the past, and we thought it was a great idea.”
The “Harriton Coffee House” was held on the evening of January 17 in the black box theatre. Tables full of refreshments such as cookies and donuts were set up along the walls, as well as, of course, plenty of coffee. Folding chairs and tables lined the floor, and the back of the theatre hosted a small stage equipped with microphones and amps. Students stepped on stage to play an instrument or sing a song for their peers, who paid a $5 admission fee to sit in the audience. Additional donations were also encouraged, and a large jar slowly filled with the visitors’ spare change.
The event went over very well, but there was a large amount of planning that had to be done first. Catherine Haslam explained “We had to get permission from the school, organize for people to perform, set a date (which, due to the snow, had to be rescheduled) and organize for people to bring in food.” Students paid for and supplied comestibles themselves so that all of the money could go directly to charity. Catherine commented, “All proceeds will be donated directly to the Red Cross for Haiti Relief effort, as Helen and I decided it was the most valid and trustworthy organization to give our profits to.” Mary Attaliadis, Sofie Seymour, Molly Rothschild, Drew Ackerman, Ali Herman, and Harriton buildOn also put in a lot of time helping make the window display, posters, and other decorations for the event.
Musical guests also had to be scheduled and arranged. Helen Gaynor explained the process: “We started a Facebook event and invited anyone who was interested to perform. We wanted to try and give everyone an opportunity to perform. Also, Jared Matt was able to book Eric Bazilian of The Hooters to perform at the end of the night which was really cool.”
The audience and performers seemed to really enjoy the event. Sophomore Rebecca Jacobs called it “a magical experience for a great cause.” Freshman Vanessa Sundra, who played guitar and sang at the event, shared the same sentiment, “I thought it was really awesome. I [ am] really new to the live performance thing, I’m more of a studio recorder, but it was great, and everyone was really supportive.” Sophomore Wilson Smith, who played some modern songs on his cello, commented, “I’d never done it before but it was pretty great. It was really relaxed and fun to play.”
At the end of the night the reviews were good, and a large amount of money had been donated to a worthy cause. Sophomore Cass Dudek exclaimed: “We have a lot of talented people at Harriton. I didn’t know that!” Ultimately the words of the very entertaining special guest Eric Bazilian summed up the experience: “You’ve got some righteous stuff going on here, and I applaud you for that.”

The Midterm Frenzy

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:37:26 +0000

They fester in the back of our minds during all of winter break. They are what teachers allude to incessantly during the first and second quarter of the school year. They require hours of studying and preparation. They are all an hour and a half long. They encompass four months of hard (or maybe not so hard) work. They are mentally, physically, and emotionally draining and demanding. They count for 9 percent of our final grade. They are (insert expression of sheer terror here) midterms!
But are midterms really as frightening as they seem? After all, we do get a week of half days, some of which we are not even required to attend if we don’t have a scheduled midterm. We have no other homework besides studying for tests on material we have already learned, and we usually have a work-free weekend following our completion of midterm week. Above all, our performance on these “all important” exams only matters to a certain extent, in that our grades on them do not matter as long as we don’t score more than one letter grade worse than what we want our final grades to be. For example, if your goal is to earn a B in math for the year, as long as you score an A, B, or C on the midterm, your chances of getting that B will not be much different. Let’s say you get a C on your midterm (9% of your final grade), but a grade of an A or B on your final (11% of your final grade). These two grades will simply average out to make a B for a quarter grade (20% of your final grade). (Note: This is not an excuse for you not to study for midterms, especially as this rule will not apply next year with the new grading system).
As I am sure many of you already know, midterms worked a little differently this year. In past years, midterms started on a Tuesday with everyone’s first and second set classes and proceeded in numerical order throughout the rest of the week, with (at most) two midterms every day. They were held in the classrooms in which the classes were taught daily, with the teacher of the course present to answer any questions students might have. This format seemed simple, logical, and convenient, but unfortunately was too susceptible to cheating and unfair play. Students that had a teacher sixth period could ask his first period class for answers to the midterm, not to mention the fact that some students would have two additional days to study for it. So, it only seemed fair to administration that all midterms for each subject area should be held at the same time. Questions arose such as these: “What if I take three science classes?” “Where will I go to take my exam?” “How will I survive if my teacher is not there to proctor it?” The immediate unanimous opposition to the new midterm schedule was astounding!
I carried out an unofficial survey just to get a general sense of how the student body felt about the new schedule in retrospect. Of the thirty sophomores, juniors, and seniors that I interviewed (no freshman were included as they never experienced the old midterms), twenty-six said that they were opposed to the new schedule before midterms were carried out. However, their sentiment changed drastically after midterms week, and twenty-two out of the twenty-six naysayers changed their minds. Harriton senior Sinem Sakarcan said, “I like it better this way because it makes it fair for everyone, and I was done my midterms by Thursday.” However, not everyone was so enthusiastic. Sophomore Lauren Johnson had the following to say: “The new schedule still seems kind of illogical to me, and it does not let me ask all of the questions that I want to during the exam.” As usual, there are some people that are downright indifferent. Junior Adam Laplant believes that “Midterms this year were definitely different. I did not really like not being able to have a free period in my midterm schedule here and there, but it was a great relief to have the Friday of that week free. Overall, I would say that this schedule is not any better or worse than the old one.”
This year was definitely a year of change for the Harriton community, the new midterm schedule just being one of the many recent additions. While people might have had their concerns about the new schedule at first, most adapted quickly and even came to like this schedule better than the old one. Truthfully, it was not terribly difficult to locate the exam rooms, reschedule a test, or manage until a teacher came by to answer a question. Whatever your opinion on the schedule may be, we can all breathe a sigh of relief, as midterms are over for the year. Don’t get too comfortable though: we have finals to look forward to in just a few short months.

The Chinese New Year Around the World

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:33:45 +0000

Gong Xi Fa Cai, or Happy New Year! The Chinese New Year occurred February 14th this year and people all over the world initiated the year of the Metal Tiger. The traditions present during the 15-day celebration of the New Year are ancient, too old to even be dated. Traditionally, each day of the celebration is dedicated to different activities, but modern festivities do not always stay true to the cultural origins of the holiday. One of the more practiced customs of the Chinese New Year begins days before the actual New Year, when the entire house is cleaned to ‘sweep away any traces of bad luck’. Doors and windowpanes are often painted red, a color that symbolizes happiness, and houses are adorned with lanterns and other garnishes. On the first day of the New Year, Hong Bao, or Red Packet, takes place and during it, red envelopes are presented by married adults to children and occasionally, unmarried adults without jobs. The dragon is also a key symbol in the New Year, representing prosperity, good luck, and good fortune. This framework of the Chinese New Year has been used throughout the world, however, through diffusion, different adaptations are present all over the globe.
This year Hong Kong, a city known for its cultural diversity and spectacular New Year celebrations, continued its tradition of great festivities on New Years Day. On February 14th, Hong Kong had its Chinese New Year Night Parade at 8 pm in Tsim Sha Tsui, the ‘heart and soul’ of beautiful Hong Kong. The hour and a half long parade, which featured many drums and dragons undoubtedly, impressed all who saw it. On the second day of the New Year, Hong Kong’s festivities continued with fireworks along the waterfront of Tsim Sha Tsui. The third day of New Year celebrations in Hong Kong featured Lunar Year Races. These activities, along with smaller festivities throughout Hong Kong, are sure to bring joy to those in the area. The culture of this vibrant city is reflected in the awe-inspiring parades and festivities present during all of the 15 days of the Chinese New Year Celebration.
Although most people don’t realize it, Vancouver has a large population of Chinese people who all gathered together to celebrate the New Year. Vancouver has the second largest Chinatown in North America and the populations in New York City and San Francisco are the only cities on the continent that tops its Chinese population in size. The Chinese population of Vancouver joined Chinese people around the world in bringing in the New Year. Thousands of people came to see the Vancouver parade, which featured drums, cymbals, firecrackers and a 100-metre-long Chinese-style dragon. The dragon dance, which ensures favorable weather for the rest of the year, was also performed. However, unlike past celebrations, the New Year’s festival was sprinkled with Olympic paraphernalia.
Most of us have been to Philadelphia’s Chinatown, however few have had the pleasure of being a part of its New Year celebration. The activities in Chinatown on the Chinese New Year were just as plentiful as the beautiful decorations of the town. There was “Chinese New Year World Culture Family Day” on January 23rd at the Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, the “Chinese New Year Lion Dance and Parade” on New Year’s Eve, and the “Chinese New Year Festival of Lanterns” to close out the 15-day festivities. Despite the snow, the Chinese New Year in Philadelphia was exciting and enjoyable.
In areas close to home, and countries across the globe, the Chinese New Year was celebrated this February 14th and in each and every country, the spirit of happiness present during the celebrations was one that will last the entire year.

The BAUM

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:32:46 +0000

I love snow. Over the past couple of weeks, heaps of snow have covered our streets, our driveways, and our grass. It is at times like this when it is cold outside that I love to sit on the couch with a warm blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and stare out the window, looking past the glistening icicles; I become transfixed. However, after days and days of being sluggish, I finally ventured outside and attempted to battle the icy roads. At first it was a little scary—okay maybe the whole time it was petrifying—but I drove at an average of about 10 miles an hour and made it to my destinations. Of course there was a moment when my car started to slide and fight with the snow when I freaked out. However, it was at that moment when I started to wonder what effect the snow has on us, other than causing difficult driving situations.
Since I have been taking economics for the past two years, I asked myself, how does snow affect our economy? My quick response was that snow could only hurt our economy: people cannot get to work, people do not want to go out shopping, and everything in the region becomes stifled. This seemed pretty logical considering I did not leave my house during the storm. Yet, there could not only be negative effects of snow, it is just too pretty. After thinking about this for a while, I found another answer: snow causes a reallocation, money is redistributed, which is neither good nor bad. For example, after our driveways become buried with snow, we need to shovel them or get them plowed. This is the time when snowplows can make hefty profits. Also, when local stores fail to draw in customers, they fail to gain revenue; yet, some people alter their spending habits and opt to make online purchases, so other stores benefit. Overall it appears that everything stays the same, even if at that moment it does not.
But until now I never really realized that this beautiful white blanket affects my surroundings, outside of getting me out of school. So, next time you are sitting at home with a cup of cocoa, ask yourself: what affect does this have on the region?

Meetin’ with Maug…An Interview with English Teacher Mrs. Mauger

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:47:47 +0000

AP English Literature and English 4 Honors teacher Mrs. Mauger always struck me as a down-to-earth, cool person, so I interviewed her to learn more. When she was a high school senior, Mrs. Mauger graduated third in her class from Pottsgrove High school, and gave a speech at graduation on Future Shock. At Pottsgrove, she was voted most likely to succeed, most intellectual, and best dancer! She went on to attend three different colleges before settling down at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in English Education. She started teaching in 1978 at Boyertown High school and came to our own Harriton High School two years ago; she says of Harriton, “I consider it a real privilege to end my teaching career in such a progressive community among such talented professionals and students.” In addition to her passion for teaching, Mrs. Mauger also deeply values her family- she has three children, Joshua, a National Accounts Manager at Anda Pharmaceuticals in Weston, Florida, Jordan, a writer for an advertising agency in Willow Grove, and Caitlin, a psychology major at Penn State, with her husband Lawrence, the Chief of Safety and Security in the Owen J. Roberts School District. They live in the hills above Boyertown, where she enjoys taking walks in the woods and playing with her dog Mikey, who is a combination of collie, keeshond, and Labrador. Sitting down with her, I learned the following:

Harriton Banner: What is one of your favorite books?
Mrs. Mauger: After giving this much thought, I remembered a few real standouts: I loved Dandelion Wine, The Poisonwood Bible and Beloved. I tend to like Gothic stories and novels. I’ve always been that way. As a child, I loved Edgar Allan Poe.

Harriton Banner: What is one of your favorite movies?
Mrs. Mauger: An all time favorite is The Sound of Music. I loved Avatar. I tend to love movies with large sweeping landscapes and human drama, so I love Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter Movies, Gladiator. I’m fascinated by the supernatural, so I love any book, TV show, or movie that deals with “super” forces.

Harriton Banner: Do you like any specific genre of music/band?
Mrs. Mauger: I enjoy music in general, in particular R&B. My main radio stations are 106.1, 96.5, and 102.1. I really love any music you can dance to. My taste in music runs the gamut. I grew to love classical music when I studied the piano, and I’ve always loved music in general. To me, listening to music and not being about to move to the beat is a punishment.

Harriton Banner: Do you particularly like a period of literature?
Mrs. Mauger: I love British Literature from the Anglo-Saxon period up to Shakespeare.

Harriton Banner: Do you have any hobbies?
Mrs. Mauger: I love to shop for bargains and then “dress up”. I think mothering is one of my hobbies. I find myself doing it wherever I go. Currently, I take Tai Chi; I have also studied Tae Kwon Do. In my distant past, I earned a black belt. I love to think, to philosophize about life. I love to analyze people, and I love to read (student writing). Reading published authors is my main summer time hobby.

Harriton Banner: What is your favorite dessert?
Mrs. Mauger: Chocolate anything.

Harriton Banner: What color crayon would you be?
Mrs. Mauger: Definitely purple. Just looking at it makes me happy. There is something beautiful, yet so regal about it.

Harriton Banner: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be doing?
Mrs. Mauger: At one point, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. That was after my psychologist phase. Being a lawyer would allow me to analyze situations and create rational arguments. Being a psychologist would allow me to work with and help people. Being an English teacher has allowed me to combine all my interests and talents.

Harriton Banner: What is your craziest Halloween costume?
Mrs. Mauger: Either the year I was Catwoman, or the year I was Yoda.