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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1977-04-20, Page 16WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977 THE LUCKNOW SENTINEL, LUCKNOW, ONTARIO PAGE BEN Student Council election Guest Editorial Election posters on the walls of F. E. Madill are a sign of spring as reliable as , the return of the robins. It seems spring has in- deed sprung if one is to judge by the numerous posters plastered on every available bit of space throughout our school. These posters are but a small part of one of the most important events in our school — student council elections,_ __ Traditionally the school government is made up of a majority of graduating students, and the new council is chosen each year in spring. The council' has a staggering number of re- sponsibilities ranging from tack shop and student lounge main- tenance to arranging for and ad- vertising dances, from organiz- ing intramurals to planning the winter carnival, Christmas concert or the chocolate bar drive, to name only-some of the more obvious tasks. These many duties are distributed among a number of people. The most im- portant and perhaps the most difficult jobs are those of presi- dent and vice, which posts were ably filled this year by Susan Adams and Brian Jeffray. Both have assistants, and this year's were Ruth Henderson and Eleanor Johnstone. This group is reliant upon a secretary (this year Carol Carter) and a treas- urer (Jamie Strong ). Care of the lounge is the duty of the. lounge managers who were Dave Demerling and Doreen Anderson this year. The tuck shop is run by the tuck shop managers, this year Teresa Cronin, Marie McKinnon and Karen Richey. The girls' and boys' athletic conveners arrange intramural games and such activities.. This year's conveners were John Underwood, 'cord Kinahan, Dianne Pennington and Twyla Dickson. The job of adver- tising these events is that of the athletic publicity manager who this year was Debbie Adams. Ac- tivities . officers keep touch of each student's activities points. The job was well handled by Sandra Finlay and Marilyn Con- gram who are to be congratu- lated on introducing club T-shirts to F. E. Madill for the first time. Dances are arranged and bands booked by the social convener, who was this year Brian Reid. Advertising dances is the job of the social publicity managers. These were Sally Le Van and Janice Guest. The entire council deserve the thanks of the student body for the hard work done. But — out with the old and in with the new. There are three ,, positions being contested this year. The rest were filled by acclamation. Those positions filled by acclamation are: tuck shop manager, Heather Currie; social convener, Mike Milosevic; lounge managers, Carol Jamie- son and Julie King; boys' athletic conveners, John Campbell and Jim Blackwell; athletic publicity manager, Anne Campbell; ac- tivities officers, Lori Moir and Karen Hyndman. Vieing for the positions of president and vice-president are Ansley Currie and David Bennett against Sally Le Van and Mary Eadie. Competing for the posts of social publicity managers are Joanne Wood and Patty Brenzil against Debbie Hanula and Lori Kopas. The final contest is be- tween Annette Dorsch and Mary de Bruyn for the position of girls' athletic convener. The array of candidates is very promising, and there can be no doubt that _these races ,be close. The numerous posters, pins and signs attest to the keen spirit among the competitors., And it can only be reflected that this enthusiastic campaigning is a sign that our once flagging school spirit is doubtlessly on the rise. The very fact that there are two contestants for some posts, and that none had to be filled by nomination is evidence that, who- ever wins, F. E. Madill has bright prospects for '77-'78. ELECTION RESULTS The three positions not filled by acclathation for next year's student council were voted for on Thursday morning. Mary Eadie was elected presi- dent with Sally Le Van acting as vice. Next year Lori Kopas and Debbie Hanula will act as social publicity managers. Mary de Bruyn will fill the position of girls' athletic convener. The entire student body would like to wish the 1977-78 student council lots of success. Next time you are looking through the newspaper take a minute and glance at the death column. Look over the names and see how many of the deceased had donations left to the Cancer Society. These people are the vic- tims of cancer. The people in the death col- umns cannot speak of their death or of being maimed by cancer. They are dead, and cannot watch other people puff their life away on cigarettes. Only when lung cancer strikes the smoker does he waken up, and then. it is often too late, and he is destined to be- come a dweller of the death col- umns. Why start smoking? I'm sure the dry, dirty taste of tobacco and smoke is unpleasant. Perhaps, after smoking for some time a person develops a taste for this, but I doubt that anyone is born with such a terrible sense of taste. Another reason for smok- ing could be that the smoker en- joys the nagging cough and short- ness of breath which accompany cigarettes. But again, I find this hard to believe. Maybe the ap- pealing advertisements catch the smoker's eye. But if this is true, only part of the message man- ages to impress the reader. On the bottom of each advertise- ment, in a carefully concealed line, there is one cautious sen- tence which reluctantly whispers the perils of smoking. This mi- nute line says, "Warning : Health and Welfare Canada advises that danger to health increases with amount smoked — avoid inhal- ing." But does the reader heed the warning? Of course not, its Mi- croscopic letters are not seen when hidden on the side of the package or the bottom of the Drama Club Are you a member of the Drama Club? If you aren't, you may be passing up a chance to be a "real star"! This club boasts about 40 mem- bers, and Mrs. Tiffin is their staff advisor. Ansley Currie is the president, with Carol Jamieson as vice-president. The meetings, held on a regular basis, consist mainly of planning 'and practis-, ing for upcoming productions. "Ghost For Rent" is the latest project of the F. E. Madill Drama Cllub. It is a one-act play involv- ing nine actors and actresses, as well as many other members be- hind the scenes working on props and make-up. Under the capable direction of Mrs. Marg Webster of Teeswater, this play is to be presented for Grade 8 Night on April 18, and for the Huron-Perth drama competition in May. The other major production of this club was a one-act Christmas play entitled "Christmas Wore Wool Mittens". So, be looking around the school to see any Drama Club member hard at work for the up- coming performances. Who knows; maybe you'll get in- volved, too! —Mary Eadie 12B page. Since I can't come up with • any reasonable reasons for start- ing to smoke, maybe I can find a fact to persuade people not to smoke. I will admit only one reason for not smoking. This single reason has more validity than any rea- son anyone will ever think of for smoking. My reason is death. It is scientifically proven that smok- ing causes lung cancer and that lung cancer kills. Perhaps if smoke,rs were to see a cancer vic- tim slowly decay, as cancer eats away at him, they would change their minds. Perhaps, if they were to see a cancer victim vainly fight to gain strength, but never win, they would change their minds. The cancer victims are aware that death is their des- tiny, and when cancer's symp- toms appear they are reluctantly recognized. These symptoms haunt the person and eventually e conquer him. That is my lone reason for not smoking, and any- one who refuses to accept it, is ei- ther saying that he does not think much of life or else that he is a hypocrite. If people used their common sense, and realized how lucky they are to be alive, they would not smother their lives, with smoking. I have known people who have died from cancer, not necessarily from smoking, but still from the disease that smok- ing induces, and the horrors of this slow death are unsurpassed. Only when people realize the value of life will this problem- be cured. Then we will be able to look in the newspaper and see less victims of this perilous, but popular pastime resting in the . death columns. . Kinahan Recently it was brought to the public's attention that several schools in our area are having problems with students perma- nently borrowing books from the schools' libraries. F. E. Madill Secondary School, alone, was missing $5,482 worth of books last year. There is no excuse for stealing; but perhaps the school Should take the responsibility to make returning borrowed books more appealing to the student. In our school, penalties for overdue books are heavy. An or- dinary book costs five cents for each day overdue. A book, limited to 'three' day borrowing, Means ten cents each day it is overdue. But the most unfair levy is placed upon the student who returns a folder of newspaper and magazine clippings late. Many of these folders contain more than 100 clippings and the fine is five cents per day for each article. The nickel fine is completely within reason since the only excuses for not returning a book within two weeks are forgetful- ness, misplacing the book or per- haps being' too lazy to bother signing the book out again. On the other hand, the three-day limit on books really doesn't serve the purpose it is supposed to. Three- day books are used for research. It's often difficult to, research an essay in three days, so this means signing the book again as soon as 'it is taken back. 'No one else gets to use the book anyway. The ten-cent fine seems quite steep when the three-day system seems to encourage students to keep the books rather than cart them from home to school and back home again. When signing out a folder, the student must sign a paper which states the rules behind the borrowing of the folio. It seems terrifically strict and as though no student is to be trusted. Before the practice of signing this seem- ingly legal contract was brought One of the more familiar faces on our teaching staff is Mrs. Lor- ene Reed, a native of Cookstown, Ontario. It was in the same town that Mrs. Reed graduated from high school. She then, went on to Business College for one year and became a legal secretary. Mrs. Reed continued in this profession for -twenty years working for various lawyers. It was during those years that she realized her problems were small compared to immense problems of others she came in contact with through her work. Mrs. Reed's husband was in the air force during the wartime when they lived in Vic- toria, B. C. She now has a son who is a chiropractor in Stratford, Ontario. Someone once told Mrs. Reed that F. E. Madill was the best high school in Ontario. She then decided to continue 'her career with teaching, coming directly to this school. Mrs. Reed attended teacher's college for three sum- mers and began studying at Waterloo Lutheran 'University during the same period she taught. This is her tenth year at our school and obviously she loves it here or she wouldn't have stayed this long. Mrs. Reed also favours the students and atmos- phere of F. E. Madill which 'is another reason why she, stays. The subjects she teaches are Grade nine Typing and Business Practice and Grade 12 Law. Her years of experience as a legal secretary is an asset to this course. As hobbies Mrs, Reed enjoys ceramics and doing needlepoint into effect, One student found her- self owing the library $4.00 for a folder that was one day overdue. She claims that she was not told of this system of fining, but was still forced to pay. There must be another way for students to be fined without charging them an arm and a leg, since mistakes do happen and it would be easy to forget the due date on a folder and return it late, It seems that students who are honest enough to sign out books and return them are the ones who are being punished instead of those who are stealing books. It is little wonder that more and more people are taking out books with- out signing for them, rather than risk haVing to pay the fines. These heavy fines could also be giving some who have, paid several fines, an excuse for steal-. ing books "Why should I keep. paying, fines' just- so the library can replace books that other people steal? I should have the right to keep a book too." Perhaps it seems ridiculous that seemingly responsible, students would steal books, but the library with its harsh system of fining is doing little to dis- courage it. —Eleanor Johnstone REACH FOR THE TOP This year our Reach for the Top team consisted of John Campbell, Paul Holloway, Vickey Peel-, Barbara Ryan and Tamara Hayes. The team lost against Eastwood Collegiate of Kitchener and North Huron in Clinton. They were victorious against Fergus, but did not advance to the play offs. During the year Mr. Forrest, staff advisor, and the team travelled to WLU for a day on the campus where the students were able to sit in -on classes. on special things like purses. She doesn't have any particular philosophy of life but does state that "it's the kids that keep me going", I love teens". Best wishes to you Mrs.' Reed. We hope you'll stay for 10, more years. May life treat you well al- ways. —Judy Malda- JUST A SMILE Mr. Wilson, the English teach- er, told a student the following story. "My wife and I spent a long . time selecting the card we would send to friends at Christmas last year. We chose a card with a dis- tinctive abstract design and a meaningful message, and proud- ly mailed early. Shortly after the holiday we received a silver baby rattle from a generous, elderly aunt who apparently misunder- stood the message: "A Child is Born and Peace Descends". Cheque out a cripplod child today. See what your dolkas can do. Support Easter Seals. Our perilous pastime Teacher Interview