FULL MOON
Volume 57, No. 5
ALBEMARLE fflGH NEWSPAPER
311 Park Ridge Road Albemarle NC 28001
982-3711
FEBRUARY 1991
What Our School Thought...
By Julie Van Orsdel, Guest Writer
In the pre-war weeks (the weeks before the
January 16 deadline), almost every time you
went to pick up a newspaper, there were poll
results telling how the nation felt about issues in
the Arab world. On Monday, January 14, you
received a survey in your firstp>eriod class asking
your response to various general questions about
the Mid-East Crisis.
As anyone who doesn’t live in a cave knows,
we are now at war. Many of the questions
included in this survey may seem out-dated at
this point. Opinions probably have changed
under heavy influence of the elaborate press
coverage of events and military conferences
dealing with the Gulf War. It is interesting,
however, to note the feelings and predictions
expressed by AHS students and faculty prior to
actual combat. Here is what our high school
thought one month ago today:
63.5% of the 482 (about 3 of every 5)
students had friends or relatives serving in the
Gulf region as of January 14. Roughly 84% of
AHS faculty directly know someone stationed in
this region.
*** 61% of AHS students are confident of the
justification of United States involvement near
the Persian Gulf, while 90% of AHS faculty
respondents feel the U.S. shouldbedirectly inter
twined in the Kuwait effort.
**♦ The least popular question to be answered
was the one asking whether or not you felt like
President Bush is doing “a good job” handling
this situation. Surprisingly, about half of you
students said, “Yes, he is doing an acceptable
job,” while half of you said, “No.” AHS faculty
are very confident in George - 83% feel he is
working well.
♦** Most AHS residents felt the war coming.
408 people correcdy said there would be an
eruption of war around January 16.
*♦* Here is a classic example of teacher/
student conflict; 62% of students DO NOT
Hopefully, by the time you read this, our situ
ation as a nation will be looking up. Regardless
of our (as civilians) jxsrsonal beliefs, our soldiers
over there need our undaunted support. It is an
honorable thing to be loyal to acause and to stand
up for the common good. Each day, they put
their lives on the line for something that they feel
' sttongly for, and that is the ultimate sacrifice to
offer. It is also important to take a couple steps
back and view the situation as a whole. If you arc
anti-war, are you against these courageous vol
unteer troops, or against the higher-ups? In the
true, true words of the infamous W.K. Morgan,
“History is being made here, folks.” Keep in
formed of what is going on (it is hard not to),
form opinions and dissent if you must... but it is
your right to do so that the troops are defending.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this
survey. Hopefully, it gives you better insight as
to how your peers feel about this monstrous
situation.
Mr.. G.lgg and th.Oute Bowl T,.m 011991
Let's Celebrate Black History!
AGREE with going to war over the said causes,
while 88 % of the faculty DO AGREE that war is
a worthwhile gesture.
*** 73% of people here at AHS feel like they
understand exactly why our forces are over there,
although many were quick to note that, “We only
know what the press tells us.”
*** AHS students are split down the center on
the war concept, 170 people are anti-war, and
177 people are pro-war. Faculty members were
13:1 that we should go to war for “these right
causes”. 120 of you felt that, given time, pa
tience would have mended the situation (the
economic sanctions would have been effective).
*** Not many people were optimistic about
the shape of our economy. Faculty members
were split exactly 50/50 on whether the eco
nomic situation would pick up or decline. Stu
dents were split almost three to one that the
economy would, as it has, continue to decline.
Quiz Bowl Team Advances to Final 8
By Meonne Blalock
The Quiz Bowl Team at AHS competed in the Hi-Q Contest at Davidson College on Saturday,
Nov. 19, and performed excellently. The team placed third out of sixty-four teams with Myers Park
High taking first and Freedom High receiving second. The four members of the team who competed
were Kevin Muse, captain, Stephen Aldridge, Josepdi Kandl, and Andy Miskell. Other team members
are Jack Linker, Jennifer Windell, Keith Muse and Peter Smithing. The team, one of sixteen to
advance to second round competition, met East Lincoln at Davidson College on February 3. In this
match our team wonadecisivevictory by thescoreof215-125. The team,now one of eight remaining
in competition, is scheduled to meet South Mecklenburg tomorrow, February 15. This match will be
taped and shown at a later time by WTVI, Chaiuiel 42 (Cable Chaimel 21).If our team is victorious
in this match, they will advance to the final round on Saturday, February 16. An added note of interest
is that South Stanly has also advanced to the final eight and will also be in comptetion for the
championship. Stanly County is will represented with two teams in the finals.
Teams from Albemarle High have been competing in the Hi-Q Contest for 12 years. This year's
team has placed higher than any other previous team. Congratulations, team!
Smith Advances
By Mesheka Davis
is nationally decreed as Black His- and helping the world become a better place, just
Tla and Stephanie study black history.
February - mi i,
tory month. We credit the observance of Bhck
HSorymonth for taking time out to think about
a S part of history that is often forg^te.
^ very special person who is often at thought
dSig toe is the Rev. Dr. Martin Lutter
S Jr. He not only paved the way for the
Srity race, but he supported peace and ove
among aU- Students are not often aware of the
Ta^y trials and tribulations that were endured in
SrLggle for the equality of every man arid
n^refercncetoBlackHistory.weshould
tin L. King Jr., but many
^^such as the inventors, abolistionists.pio-
know that Mathew
j UMKMn. ablackman,wasco-discov-
N”'* "T"
ererofthcoeogi ^ nntil after
wasn
^ ^ ^ thai Dr. Ida Gray was the first
and Percy Julian, a chemistry
.man da^t, ^ glaucoma.
. fo»>»
Wolfe and Chemega work on
disk entitled Black Studies
HcaJsou—*• ,_^utical company.
founded his own I* there is one
^trrsfoUowing in the footsteps of her
person who is youngest of Dr,
like her father.
In observance of Black History month the
Stanly County Public Library has a display of
Black Art created by Mr. Lance Shankle of Nor
wood, N.C. Mr. Shankle has toured various
schools explaining the meanings and textures of
his art.
Thanks to Mrs. Wolfe, Albemarle High
School has a computer disk labeled BLACK
STUDIES. This will enable teachers to have
easy access to the different Afro-American au
thors. Special video tapes will also be on file and
a special feature will be a new vertical file on
Afro-American women authors. English classes
are viewing the film Glory, which is an inspira
tional account of black soldiers who formed the
firstblackregiment during the Civil War. Twenty-
one of these soldiers received the highest honor
awarded by the American military, the Congres
sional Medal of Honor, for their outstanding
bravery and courage. President Lincoln himself
credited this group, the S4th Massachusetts, with
helping turn the tide of the war. Because of their
contributions to the Union war effort, other black
troops were established.
Let's look with pride at these aixl other black
Americans who have helped shape the course of
American history.
in Competition
By Rachel Kendall
Albemarle High School is proud to recognize
Marcille Smith for being chosen as a fmalist in
the competition for the prestigious Teaching
Fellows Scholarship. Marcille p>articipated in
final interviews for this program on February 9.
If she is selected as a Teaching Fellow, she will
be awarded approximately $20,000over her four
years of college. She will also be involved in trips
and enrichment activities on behalf of the teach
ing profession in North Carolina.
In return for her scholarship and benefits,
Marcille agrees to teach in North Carolina for
five years after graduation. This program is
designed to attract top-notch students into North
Carolina Schools.
Marcille Smith hopes to be an English
teacher.