I I
I I mm I I
Home,
Sweet Home
How well do you know
specific details about
your home state?
pages 6-7
Volume 84 No. 3
Grimsley High School
November 18, 2009
801 Westover Terrace
Greensboro, NC 27408
IlighLIFE
Our
nation
does not
need test
scores to
prove its
worth. Instead, the U.S.
needs a combination
of academic leaders
and educated workers
to pilot America into
the future.
55
Elizabeth Detmar
page #3
News
Rabbi Fred Guttman
speaks about the
Holocaust to coincide
with students’ study of
ElieWiesel’s “Night.”
page #2
Opinion
NC State legislature
plans to ban smoking
in restaurants. Is such
a law reasonable or not?
page #4
Features
Preparing for a
feast on Thanksgiving
proves challenging for
vegetarians and vegans.
page #8
Sports
Yankees may have
won the World Series,
but the Boston Red
Sox remain popular
among the masses.
page #11
News
2
Opinion
3-5
Spread
6-7
Features
8-10
Sports
11-12
tr-
t
■'1^
mMm
Congratulations to the 2009 Homecoming Court.Back row (It) Olivia Campbell, Ibri Tucker, Abby James, Chelsea
Capps, Kelsey LeGeaux, and Jasmine Williams. Front row (It) Hannah Orr, Haley Irvin, Hailey Barringer, Meg
McNeill, Wendy Song, and Rebecca Stubbs. Haley Irvin earned the title of Homecoming Queen. Mason graphic
Whirlie mascot finds its way back to campus
BY AVERY HILL
Reporter
Known for its unique quali
ties that give the school its
edge, the Whirlie mascot is
about to resurface after 20
years; however, its appearance
is still a mystery to the staff and
student body. Principal Anna
Brady decided to bring back
the Whirlie mascot to enhance
school spirit and invigorate the
crowd during pep rallies,
games, and other special occa
sions on campus. A member of
the alumni has agreed to pay
for the cost.
Social studies teacher Joe
Franks and math teacher
Roberta Rohan, both Grimsley
alumni, are presently assisting
Brady on plans for the new
Whirlie by working on a design
with the owner of Eastern Cos
tumes. Once the draft is fin
ished, they will make a final
decision and place a
purchase order.
Members of the alumni and
present student body can re
call times when people asked
them what a Whirlie was and
what it looked like; some have
even wondered themselves.
According to ESPN, the Whirlie
is the only one of its kind in the
country. The term itself was
coined in 1909 when the school
teams were called the "Purple
Whirlwinds," but when
Grimsley colors changed to
navy and white, the name was first
shortened to "Whirlwinds" and
then eventually to "Whirlies."
"I remember that the
Whirliebird [ihascot] costume
was a nightmare; it was a
combo of an egret, an ibis, and
a flamingo—in blue. However,
I liked, and still like, the idea of
a mascot. I also remember
when Joe Franks contacted
Iowa State to seek permission
to copy the university's Cy
clone mascot. As I recall, they
were very agreeable with the
idea. There are times when
you really need a character to
represent the school at athletic
events and other school func
tions," said social studies
teacher Larry Williamson. "As
a Whirlie, there have been
those times that I wished we
had a real moniker that people
understood, but the longer I've
been here, the more I like its
uniqueness. ESPN even noted
that we were unique. Just re
member, I'm the guy who
went to a college with the
nickname "Hokies," whatever
that means! Virginia Tech has
a creative version of a fighting
gobbler, so why can't the Whirlies
have a cyclone costume?"
In years past. Homecoming
involved more than a football
game. Homecoming Court
brunch, and dance. Students
used to organize a parade with
various floats.
"I remember working on a
club float for the Homecoming
parade that had an eight-foot-
tall paper mache Whirlie bird
who was taking down a pi
rate. I also remember seeing
the cheerleader who wore the
Whirliebird mascot costume at
the football games. The
Whirliebird would help lead
the cheers at the pep rallies in
the stadium and raised school
spirit. I used to tell my friends
(from Page, of course) who
teased me about it that
Grimsley's mascot is one of a
kind because we are an
exceptional high school and
not common like theirs (Page,
of course)! I was always and
still am proud to be a Whirlie.
Whirlie is synonymous with
Grimsley, whereas a pirate
could be from another high
school in another city or even
Margaret Humble
from a college," said French
teacher Laura Wolf.
While an official presenta
tion date of the new Whirlie
mascot is still unknown, there
will be soon be publicity re
garding its arrival, hopefuUy in
time for basketball season.
Brady, Franks, and Rohan are
developing criteria for student
tryouts so auditions can occur
each year to see who will wear
the costume.
"The mascot may be a sym
bol of unity. No heat, no em
barrassment... Ever. GO
WTLIRLIES!" said social studies
teacher Joe Hill.