Suicides increase following holidays
by Mark Neerman
CJjnfronting the rigors of the rerl world after the
holidays proves to be troublesome for many peo
ple. For them emptiness and depression make
suicide attractive, especially amidst Christmas
blues. A telephone volunteer at the suicide crisis
control center said in a recent interview, we
receive more calls during the post-holiday season
than any other time of' ear ” In light of this,
more information must Oe spread, to prevent the
tragedy of teen suicide.
"I was very lonc'v, scared, and really afraid. I
wanted to do it me e than anything.” So says Julie
Cunningham, 16, w o tried to commit suicide but
fortunately failed r story has a happy ending,
but others do not. Fach yedr some 5000 teens kill
themselves, a number that has tripled over the
last 25 years and continues to rise. Every hour
around 57 children and teens attempt suicide. It is
a phenomenon that has no prejudices. It affects
men and women, blacks and whites alike. Robert
Wilson, director of counseling at UNC-G says
there are at least one or two attempts a semester
at the university.
What has driven so many teens to the same
desperate conclusion? There are many reasons, as
any expert will explain. Some point to the
degeneration of the family as a support system
and this inherent loss of structure. According to
volunteers at Crisis Control, the increasing
pressure to succeed frustrates many potential
suicides. But the greatest factors are depression ,
and drug and alcohol abuse. Four Winds Hospital
in Kastonah, New York estimates 75% of teens ad
mitted into the drug>2alcohol rehab unit have
made “suicidal gestures." When discussing
depression as a factor in teenage suicide a book
describing teenage suicides, Drs. Mary Griffin
and Carol Felsenthal authors of A Cry For Help
say that “as the number of divorces tripled, so did
the number of teenage suicides.”
Almost always there will be warning signs, say
experts. It is the victim’s ‘cry for help.' Often the
victim will take an interest in death, or become
extremely moody. He may become withdrawn
from friends and family, or give up once^
treasured pastimes. These are signs of despera
tion, and as Adolphus Coplin, a guidance
counselor, of Reynolds High says,
“Communication is the key.” Those who know so
meone like this should take his feelings seriously.
Talking to a responsible adult is important also.
The worst possible action is to keep it a secret.
One can keep a friend alive, and in the long run,
the person will be thankful.-
People in need can take several actions:
1. Call the suicide crisis control center hotline at
852-4484
2. Call Contact - a suicide prevention service
3. Go to a hospital, emergency rooms are
always open
4. Call a friend or a confidant
5. Call 1-800-621-4000 toll free. This is the Na
tional Runaway switchboard and they deal with
all types of problems.
6. Talk with a guidance counselor, who may
recommend other available people.
GRIMSLEY HIGH LIFE
Volume LV, Number 4
Mike Woodell enjoys the
Dec. 20 snow.
by' ill Sykes
shortened school dtTy due to
Voice of the Whirlies”
January 24, 1986
Just another fish story
by Brian Kaiser
There’s a new group at GHS
known as the “Bass Masters”.
No, it’s not a rock group or prize
winning fishermen. They are bet
ter known for throwing fish than
catching them. Their premier
performance was held before a
packed house Jan. 3 during the
third quarter of the Page-
Grimsley game.
At the end of the third quarter,
when the Pirate cheerleaders
were doing their routine, approx
imately seven or eight dead fish
became airborne and hit the gym
floor. The GHS administrators
reacted immediately to stop the
fish throwing.
According to a GHS senior, who
was among the fish tossers, the
event was planned at the beginn
ing ot the basketball season. At
least one of the involved was a re
cent Grimsley alumnus. It is
speculated that the fish, which
were typical freshwater brim,
were brought by the alumnus.
. The target of these flying fish
were the Page cheerleaders, who
may have been warned ahead of
time about the scaly invaders. No
fish actually made contact with a
cheerleader, but a few came
close. Many fish slipped from the
throwers’ grasp and fell beneath
the bleachers.
The act was said to have been
all in school spirit and just for
fun. “We were thinking of
ourselves and not others.” said
one student involved. Indeed,
many GHS students worried that
the Grimsley image would be
damaged by the incident.
Mr. Renn gave no names as to
who was involved, but did say
that those caught would be
punished as written under Rule 7
of the Code of Conduct.
The show didn’t stop with the
end of the game. The next stop on
the tour was the Burger King on
Battleground.
Students from both Page and
Grimsley were present. The tiny
fish incident brought about big
tempers as tables were torn from
the floor and plumbing damaged
in the mens’ room.
Police arrived on the scene, but
they could not pinpoint the
perpetrators and no arrests were
made.
Burger King was forced to
close in at midnight, four hours
earlier than usual, in order to
clean the mess brought about by
a few of our fine finned friends."
So for those who enjoy coming
to Grimsley-Page games, stop
the half-hearted cheering and fill
it to the rim, with brim, in spirit
of course!
Success Story:Irwin Smallwood
by Shana Morrow
It is most students’ hope that
once they have graduated from
high school they will be
remembered, and to one day be
considered a successful alumnus.
This article recognizes a very
special and successful Grimsley
alumnus, Irwin Smallwood. To
see the impressive reputation
that he has acquirejl, it is not sur
prise that he was also a promi-
nant student while attending
Grimsley.
Irwin Smallwood graduated
with the Whirlie class of 1944.
High school had a great impact
on him, even more so than col
lege, and he claims it “molded
his life.” Smallwood credits most
of what he has learned to his high
school teachers. One in par
ticular, Louise Smith, who was
his journalism advisor, “taught
me the love of the language and
how to use it.” And even today, he
still remembers her by keeping a
picture of her on his desk.
Smallwood was chief editor and
sports editor of Grimsley High
Life, and also worked for the
Greensboro paper during his
years at Grimsley. But in no way
was journalism his only inters!;
he was also vice-president of the
student body, and a drummer in
Herbert Hazelman’s marching
band. Smallwood, along with the
class of ’44, “moved many a
wheelbarrow of dirt,” he recalls,
to build Jamieson stadium. He
also claims to have “fallen in love
in English class” with Allene
Parks, his wife of thirty-eight
years.
Irwin Smallwood’s inters! in
journalism carried over to his
college days at Chapel Hill where
he was sports editor for the Daily
Tarheel. After graduating from
Chapel Hill, Smallwood began
working again at the Greensboro
Daily News (as it was named
then), and began to climb up the
ladder of success, and today he
can look back on thirty-eight
years of achievements.
Smallwood has held many posi
tions at the Greensboro News and
Record; he has worked as city
editor, assistant managing
editor, managing editor, and
sports editor. He was managing
editor for fifteen and one-half
years for the Greensboro Daily
News, and then when the Daily
News and the News and Record
(the morning and afternoon
papers) merged, Smallwood
became the deputy executive
editor. After two years as deputy
executive editor, Smallwood
decided to return to his first love -
sports. As Smallwood says,
“back toiun and games in my old
age.”
He has been the sports editor
for eighteen years, and his work
involves writing a Sunday col
umn, occasionally covering a
special sports event, and more or
less as he puts it, “being in
charge of what we cover and how
well we cover it.” When asked to
describe his job, he says it is
“’exciting,” and agrees with his
father, who once said that “what
he did best working for a living.”
Smallwood contributed much
to the class of 1944, and in return
he enjoyed his high school days
immensely and received a lot out
of them. He has great memories
that he will always be able to
treasure, and only time will tell,
who from the class of ’86, will
make a difference
\ imnb
photo courtesy of the Greensboro Neujs and Record