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FULL MOON
December 1,1981
Do You Believe
Mexican Superstitions
By MARIA HERNANDEZ
Interest in the supernatural is
very popular in Mexico; many
people sincerely believe in black
magic, fortune telling, witches,
witch doctors, and medicine men.
All kinds of supernatural ideas
are commonly feared in Mexico.
Let’s talk about witches.
Generally, females practice this
profession. They are separated
into two classes: white witches
and black witches. The white
witch is she who does good deeds,
for she is of God. She foretells
luck, predicts the future, or
makes lost sweethearts return to
their mates. Black witches,
however, are evil and they are of
the devil. They also practice the
foretelling of luck and of future
events. Many Mexicans believe
that whatever is told them by a
white or a black witch will occur.
Fortune tellers are those per
sons who charge expensive prices
for their predictions. They use
fortune telling cards and they
create certain rituals in order to
invent that which they tell their
clients. At times their predictions
come true, but often fortune
tellers greatly exaggerate.
Palm readers are females and
also males. The women dress in
long skirts and wear many neck
laces, rings, and fancy jewelry.
The men wear huarache sandals
and brightly colored shirts. They
are all nomadic and never live in
the same place for any period of
time. Palm readers travel to
gether with many families. They
walk through the streets looking
for clients. They always frequent
the poorer neighborhoods, be
cause the people living there can
be exploited more easily. Poorer
people are usually more ignorant
and more superstitious than
other Mexicans.
The Mexican witch doctor
practices a special “medicine,”
which appeals to those who do not
have the money to pay a medical
doctor. These people also seek
his services from ignorance of
better medical help.
The medicine man sells natural
medicines that are often good,
but have no chemical basis. Often
these persons sell remedies
which serve no purpose to the ill
person; it is solely an easy way to
make money from the poor Mex
icans.
Who's For A Club Day?
By FREDIA BLACKMON
The club advisors are now in
the process of organizing a club
day during school which would
allow students who ride the after
noon bus and those who leave ear
ly to participate in the clubs of
their choice. According to a ma
jority of club advisors, a club day
is very necessary at our school.
“I would like for my French
classes to be able to meet as a
group for a culture program or
speaker during the school day. It
would be easier to obtain a
speaker for one group than for in
dividual classes. The more par
ticipation we have the more we
can accomplish.”
Ci
once a month to let the students
function as a group. We have dif
ficulty meeting at other times be
cause the students are all
employed. It is impossible to get
the students together outside of
school.”
Mr, Hollis
This program has been suc
cessful throughout the other
schools and could possibly benefit
our school as well. All students
who are interested in helping to
organize such a special day
should talk with their club ad
visors.
Mrs. Hampton
“DECA is an intregal part of
the Marketing and Distributive
Education Program. Since my
program is a cooperative one and
my students work afternoon and
evenings, and on weekends, it is
an impossible task to have a
meeting and have all in atten
dance.
Having a club day for one
period each month would be a
great benefit in letting our of
ficers receive leadership training
and the club could act as a team
in carrying out projects and ac
tivities.
Mrs. Sybil Brown
“ICT-VICA needs a club day
vw. ,
A Time for Thanks
Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, everyone has begun to
thmk about turl^y, dressmg, pumpkin pie, and all the other things
associated with Thanksgiving. But has anyone thought about what he
IS really thankful for? Some students at ASHS have already been hard
at work thinking about the things that they are thankful for Some of
their comments were;
Stephanie Pollard - “I’m thankful for wonderful sisters and lov
ing boyfriends!”
Wesley Harris — “I’m thankful for my beautiful body' ”
Maria Dennis — “I’m thankful for my Tarbaby! ”
dies^^^^ ~ thankful for Tarbaby’s U.N.C. football bud-
Debra Wall - “I’m thankful that the basketball season has
started because now Mrs. Talbert can take out her anger on her
basketball players instead of on the cheerleaders' ”
Kelly Herrin - “Pm thankful for wrestling moves' ”
Bob Andrew - “I’m thankful for Barbara Ann Cesare! ”
Ann Novak — “I’m thankfull for my buddy, Bud'”
Fredia Blackmon — “I’m thankful for Marcus.”
p» thankful that the officials called off the
Powder Puff game with twelve seconds left! Also, I’m thankful for my
best friend. Cheesy! ” ^
The Journalism Class — “We’re thankful for Mrs. Ellis! ”
THE FULL MOON
Albemarle Senior High School
Albemarle, N.C. 28001
Tracy Asbury, Editor-In-Chief
Camille Plyler, News Editor
Bobby Gaskin, Sports Editor
Ann Novak, Mary Moose, and Carol
Harbers, Business Managers
Randy Richardson, Photographer
Mrs. Mary Catherine Ellis, Advisor
SENIOR STAFF
Kelly Watson, David Smith,
Michael Harwood, Brent Williams,
Patricia Little, Fredia Blackmon,
Cassandra McDonald, Maria Dennis,
Ann Novak
The Full Moon is published nine times during the school year by the
journalism class of Albemarle Senior High School and is printed by
Press Printing Company of Albemarle.
JUNIOR STAFF
Maria Hernandez, Beth Efird,
Kelley Herrin
Euthanasia:
An Act of Mercy or Murder?
By MARY MOOSE
Today in America it has be
come increasingly necessary for
individuals, families, and health
care professionals to face life and
death decisions. For instance,
what do we do about the lingering
and often painful death of the in
curably ill? This question has be
come a moral and legal dilemma
for the medical profession as well
as the relatives of the ill patient.
Many people strongly feel that
this dying period should not be
prolonged by artificial means
such as respirators, intravenous
fluids, or other marvels of
modern science. In such cases
the doctors, by continuing treat
ment, are preserving life or
merely prolonging death. Then
there are the cases of the old and
senile who degenerate into
human cabbages. And the acci
dent victims with brains so
severely damaged that they lie in
a coma for months and even
years.
It appears that today’s society
is leaning towards euthanasia, or
the act of “mercy killing”, as a
result of the growing numbers of
these seemingly hopeless cases.
Public approval of the idea has
increased sharply since a 1950
Gallup Poll, when 36 percent of
Americans said they approved
euthanasia. In a more recent
survey, 53 percent expressed the
view that physicians should be
allowed by law to end the life of
the incurably ill if the patient and
family request it.
Euthanasia comes from two
Greek words literally meaning
“good death”. Two forms of
euthanasia are generally
recognized: active and passive.
Active euthanasia is the
deliberate use of measures which
will hasten death, such as ad
ministering a fatal dose of a pain-
killing drug. Passive euthanasia
is the withholding of measures of
treatments which prolong life,
such as the withdrawal of
respirators. Active euthanasia
causes death, while passive
euthanasia permits it.
In the past two years there
have been dozens of books and ar
ticles on death, dying, and ter
minal care, all more or less com
mending less drastic intervention
from physicians when death is
near. Perhaps it is a matter
which we should all take time to
consider.