The Bison – September 30, 1988

Making a special friend at BHS is easily within everyone's reach.

Most BHS students have seen the mentally handicapped students around school, either in the morning, during lunchtime, or after school.

Many students, however, are afraid to get involved because of a lack of knowledge about them. "People tend to think that the kids are violent, or that they will hurt you if you get too close, which is totally untrue," said Senior Rhonda Kullberg, a member of YARC.

Youth Association for Retarded Citizens (YARC) is an organization designed to teach "mainstream" students about the handicapped students and "provide the BHS students with the opportunity to become exposed and become involved with the handicapped students in the building. To develop friendships," according to co-adviser of YARC, Lori Fildes.

Mental retardation usually begins during the developmental years of an individual's life. Common conditions include limitations of physical mobility, speech impairments, epilepsy, or learning disabilities. Fildes added, "Many people think that handicapped students have feelings, just like anyone else."

YARC is an extra-curricular activity for persons interested in broadening their outlooks on different kinds of people and friends. The club encourages main-stream BHS students to interact with handicapped BHS students in different activities during an all-day shopping trip or a trip to the zoo. Activities include playing cards or games, a walk to the park or Dairy Queen, various holiday activities, shopping, sports, etc. Kullberg stated, "These activities give BHS students a better view and idea of the special ed kids and what they're all about."

"For the past few years, society has been shifting towards integration, or main-streaming. There shouldn't have to be two separate groups, one for the handicapped, the other for the non-handicapped, we should all be one," Fildes continued.

Although the first meeting was held September 21st, students are welcomed and encouraged to join anytime during the year. "Seeing the smiles from the kids and knowing you've made them happy is too self-rewarding to even try to explain," said Kullberg. Students may go to room D-1 during any study mod period and talk to Fildes for more information.

Two and a half weeks before Homecoming week, Activities Director Nancy Bergert approached Eric Carlson, Senior Class President, and informed him that the scheduled band for the Homecoming dance had canceled.

The band, "Too Blue", had gotten into a car acccident and the bassist was unable to play due to a broken arm.

Carlson contacted their agent, who repeated the story, and offered to line up another group, "Heaitb.r.&ak". After he tocn a out thal rney were a heavy-metal band, Carlson declined.

"We booked a metal group last year, and we wanted something different this time. Besides, this is a dance, and we want a band that will play danceable music," Carlson said. He added that heavy metal probably wouldn't fit this year's theme, "J!S rfing with the Bison".

After listening to a few tapes over the phone, Carlson found a band he liked-- "Fontanas". Carlson said, "They sound a lot like REM. They play a lot of 60's music, lots of Beatles, and they play originals that have energy." He went on to say that there are five band members, four of which sing, and that pretty much everybody should enjoy them.

He was quite upset th~t the Senior class officers' first choice fell through, because they played music ranging from Led Zepplin, INXS, and the Beatles to Chuck Berry and even some John Denver, and "had that something, charisma, I guess, that audiences love."

The Suburban West Conference will probably be history by this time next year. •

A minimum. requirement of schools needed to be considered a confer~nce by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), is set at five s.chools. The SWC will have only four after this year.

Although the SWC lost Orono to the Tri-Metro and Chaska and Shakopee to the Missota Conference last year, it gained Monticello and Litchfield. Before the begin-

(HSNG) Two Midwestern courts reached exactly the opposite decisions when it came to requiring pregnant teenagers to notify their parents if they want to get an abortion.

Earlier this montb, a three-judge panel in Ohio struck down the state'-s parental cons_ent law, claiming women h~ve a constitutional right to seek an abqrtion without informing their guar-dians.

A few days prior, a Minnesota federal appeals court reinstated the state's law requir-ing woman younger than age 18 to first notify their parents or get a judge's permission before having an abortion.

At least 28 other states have similar laws.

"When the question was asked of us, 'If you could do anything at the high school in this bond issue, what would you do?' we came up with three million dollars worth." said Principal Nick Miller.

Due to a growing Science enrollment, the original classroom construction plan was to build two science rooms, a classroom, and an IBM lab.

one place. In addition to the conjestion, the noise level of the mall during lunch and passing periods made teaching difficult in the three English classrooms adjacent to the mall.

To combat all of these problems, a wall was constructed between the English rooms and the mall, and the mall lockers were reduced in number and in size to decrease conjestion, and increase visability.

The old mezzanine area was enclosed to hold three new practice rooms for the BHS Music programs. "We have a strong music program and in the balcony back there we put three practice rooms," said Miller.

When questions were raised about the location of the proposed lab relative to the Media Center, the new IBM lab was moved to what was once Jim Wilcox's and Karen Swenson's classrooms. In turn, Wilcox and Swenson were moved to the newly added classrooms.

However, the newly added classroom Wilcox now occupies is completely wired to be an IBM lab, so if the administration ever wanted to expand the existing lab in the business area, the wall could be removed, and the computers set up.

The mall area was also an area of renovation. The mall was getting too conjested due to the large number of lockers in one place. In addition to the conjestion, the noise level of the mall during lunch and passing periods made teaching difficult in the three English classrooms adjacent to the mall.

The gymnasium facilities have been greatly expanded. "We've always been concerned ... with our facilities when it comes to our gymnasium. All we ever had was a little tiny hallway when you come in, and you had to go upstairs to buy a box of popcorn." said Miller.

A new gymnasium has been built, along with a new weight room, and a storage area for gymnastics. This allowed for the expansion of the wrestling room into the old weight room. Previously, the gymnastics team had to bring their equipment up to the mall to practice, but the new gym and storage area allow them to set up in the same area.

The new gym, which hopefully will be completed by October 1, seats about 450 and can be used instead of the old gym for smaller lyceums and group meetings.

The last area of building renovation is the outer grounds around the gym addition. "It used to look tacky from the road. You drove by and it looked like you were looking at the back end of a school. Now when you drive by you have a nice drive through, trees, and sod." said Miller.

So far, the project is running under projected cost, and the last of the equipment and furniture for the new Science rooms will arive in November.

"We are moving into an era of increasing our academic expectations of ourselves and our students so we can build a top flight quality program." said Miller.

If you are planning to be in any activity this year, you may be in for a surprise. Activities fees have gone up!

The fees went up a whole twenty-five percent.

This year's Hockey and Football fees are $40. All other sports and cheerleading is $24. Speech, Drama Cast, and Newspaper are all $16. Solo/Ensemble Music Contests are still three dollars while One Act Play Crew and Student Directors is five dollars. As for Yearbook, Multi-Act Crew, and Class officers, there is no fee.

Comparing these to last year's fees; Hockey and Football were $32, all other sports and Cheerleading were $19. Speech, Drama, and Newspaper were $13. Solo/Ensemble Contests, Year book, and Class Officers fees stayed the same as they are now.

Other schools in the area vary in their fees. St. Michael/Albertville Senior High is at the inexpensive end of the spectrum. They charge their students only ten dollars for every activity, a Special- three activities for $25, and Yearbook there is no fee.

Rockford High and Delano High are also inexpensive charging $15 for most activities. They have a maximum per child which is $40, and a maximum per family which is $75. Yearbook and Newspaper have no fee.

Elk River Senior High is the expensive end of the spectrum. in this area the Football and Hockey fees are $48. Basketball and Wrestling fees are $44. Golf is $38, and all other sports are $40. Yearbook fee is $18, Cheerleading fee is ten dollars and Newspaper has no fee.

"Although money is important, it's not the only issue here, it's the reason why. Where is it going?" one student questioned Activities Director Nancy Bergert answered that question simply, "academic competition-- like Odyssey of the Mind, Knowledge Bowl, and a Decathlon. These will now be opened to all students, not just the gifted."

"I was asked to figure out how much more money would be generated if the fees where raised 25%. I came up with about an extra $4000. I turned in my report and the next thing, the board approved a twenty-five percent increase in the fees. Soon after, the $4000 was approved to go to academic competition," Bergert said.

This fall Buffalo High School is putting on the musical production, The King and I. about forty persons, ranging in age from three to eighteen, make up the cast. The King of Siam has many wives, children, and royal subjects which makes for an interesting plot for the play.

On Thursday, September 15, approximately ninety children auditioned for the king's children. The children sang, read lines and even did some dance movement. Clark Swenson, duet director, and Michael Walsh, musical director, had the task of sorting out the children and choosing fifteen children who could join the cast.

I am a little nervous about working with so many little kids, Swenson said about the unusual nature of the musical in having such a large number of children. He also said,"This is not the first time I have worked with children, but in the past I had only had to of worked with one or two at a time."

The musical A•·elf features a wide variety of characters. There main characters are: the King; Anna, her son, Louis; Tup-tim, a Burmese princess; Amazon guards; Bhuddist priests; and a multiple of other supporting roles.

The children will be visible throughout most of the musical making their entrance with a song and the "March of the Children" in scene two of the first act. They reappear throughout the musical, sometimes as background confusion and sometimes as the main focus.

Besides spending several hours working with so many little kids, Swenson said about the unusual nature of the musical in having such a large number of children.

The dates set for the musical are the November 10th through the 12th and a matinee on Sunday the 13th.

The musical is set in Siam in the mid 1800's. The king has invited an English schoolteacher, Anna, to come and teach his children. Anna agrees to do this on the agreement that she will receive a house for teaching. Anna soon finds out that some things are much different than she expected. Anna argues with the king, has troubles in the classroom, and runs into all sorts of trouble.

Yet, at the release of school, traffic cars and buses knot up at the intersection of Highway 55 and 3rd Avenue. Students, while their cars idle for five minutes in traffic backed up blocks long, should consider how they can improve the convenience and safety at this corner.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has plans to put a new stoplight in Buffalo. The light is to control the intersection of Highway 55 and 3rd Avenue.

In August, the traffic flow in the intersection was recorded. MnDOT surveyors found that 3rd Avenue (north of 55) averaged about 9,000 cars per day; Soo Lane (south of 55) carries about 10,000.

Another survey will be conducted early this fall. The goal of this survey is to determine the traffic increase due to teenage drivers heading to and from school. Clearly, even without statistics, traffic flow increases dramatically around 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

According to the state's traffic flow standards, a stoplight at this intersection is clearly justified. Because of the Highway 55 carries, the state plans to fund half of the project. The rest must be covered by the county and city.

So the real problem is a bureaucratic one. According to a source at the Department of Transportation, the project won't even begin until fall of 1989--and nothing can begin until the city, county and state reach an agreement on who's going to pay for each part of the construction.

The city should raise this project higher on its list of priorities. It would be easy to let the state wait until the early to mid 1990's, for a larger project, involving adjustments to the grade and angle of the roads concerned, will begin.

The city and county transportation departments should initiate discussion with MnDOT; the sooner an agreement is reached concerning allocation of funds, the faster this project can begin.

Students should stress the importance of this issue to their parents, asking parents to push city and county candidates to address the problem in this election year.

"Mr. Johnson, you have a collect call from Buffalo, Minnesota."

"Who do I know in Buffalo, Minnesota?"

"Hello... Dad. This is your daughter. The one you haven't seen in seven years. I'm just calling to inform you that I'm having an abortion on Monday."

The new state abortion law for girls under 18, as decreed by the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in early August, has the potential to put girls and parents in similar situations.

The law basically says that a minor must notify both of her parents or obtain court approval within 48 hours of having an abortion.

The law does not require parental permission, only notification.

Newspaper stories from the time when the ruling came out suggest that are no exceptions to the parent notification law other than court approval. That is, no exceptions for girls living in one parent families due to divorce, death, or desertion; abusive home situations where parental knowledge may lead to worse abuse; or pregnancy as the result of rape or incest.

The judges had good intentions when they sought to encourage open communication in families as a method of lessening the teenage abortion rate. However, by enforcing notification the law provides an additional burden for girls unable for whatever reason to tell their parents, and also a tremendous burden on some families having enough problems already.

Furthermore, if the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was really interested in encouraging parent involvement in the decision to have an abortion, the judges would realize that there are two families involved.

The law recognizes the girl's responsibility for her pregnancy but not the boy's, thus reinforcing the double standard by placing all of the burden on the girl.

To significantly lower the teenage abortion rate, a law requiring boys as well as girls to inform their parent/guardian of an abortion would be more just and at the same time help boys realize that sex has responsibilities.

The law might also serve as one step in minimizing the double standard.

And lessening of the double standard would equalize the responsibility between both people, where it naturally belongs.

As soon as both partners realized that a pregnancy could no longer be aborted without all parents knowing, common sense might prevail--safe sex or no sex, the choice couples must make.

A law saying that both the girl and boy are responsible for a teenage pregnancy and abortion is the only way to support equality and serve justice. As the law stands now, it is discriminatory, heartless, and ineffective.

Society's double standard and the laws reinforcing it should be aborted.

Things are getting more expensive these days. Like gas, cars, pizza, notebooks, button-down oxfords, pencils (teachers charge 25 cents for only one), and college to name a few.

Even going to the movies, at $3.50 a crack, can flatten a billfold.

Junior Melissa Burkhardt, a cashier at Pamida said, "I started in November of last year because I turned sixteen. As soon as I turned sixteen I was expected to get a job to help pay for college and for extra spending money."

Summer vacation gives students opportunities to put in many hours of work. Anyone under eighteen working forty hours at $3.20, current minimum wage for those under eighteen, for one week can earn $128.00 in earnings, not subtracting taxes. Depending on the job students can work as little or as often as they want. "During the summer I worked about forty hours (per week) because I wanted as many as I could get," said Burkhardt.

Variety in the job market can be limiting or abundant depending on the specific skills and experience a person has. Students can find jobs in fast-food restaurants, cashiering, baby-sitting, lawncare/landscaping, cleaning for businesses or homes, painting houses, or doing volunteer work for hospitals or charities, etc. Finding the right job can be just a matter of knowing what a person likes to do. Jobs held during the school year as well as summer jobs can be overly stressful and demanding for some people. In looking for a job, they should be aware of stressful factors such as noise, impatient customers, etc.

Excluding volunteer work, pay is one aspect of importance to many student job-seekers. The variety in jobs brings along with it varieties in pay. Generally, the more difficult the job a person has, the more they are paid for their labor.

Some students work only summers, leaving the rest of the year exclusively for schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. Others decide to work during the school year after school and/or on weekends.

Working during the school year can bring on certain problems. For some students working after school leaves too little time for schoolwork, and as a result grades can suffer.

Working after school can take away opportunities to be involved in after school activities.

"The only thing it would really take away from is if you were in sports, because that usually lasts until five or six and you can't do both. You'd have to choose whether you wanted the job or the sports more," said Burkhardt.

For many students a summer job can be the only way to make substantial amounts of money. Those with an allowance can save up to buy things. Those without an allowance or those who have had theirs discontinued must find an alternative for receiving extra spending money. Thus, during this school year many teenagers will cope daily in two very different roles, as students by day and employees by night and weekends.

"... They're going to be working for four dollars ... they're going to be giving us their all."

Starting at the beginning of this year, minimum wage has risen for everyone and will continue to rise for the next two years.

The minimum wage increases will affect many aspects of business, especially prices. Lyle Thingvold, part owner of Hardee's, "We have to pass the increase to our customers, our sales will have to raise a certain percent to offset it. We work on a certain percent margin of profit and we have to maintain that. We will be raising our product price, which everyone else will be doing also."

Cost saving measures could also be a result of the increases. "I think they could cut down on throwing out so much food, they should be more efficient," said Cary Holmberg, a Hardee's employee.

Although the raise in minimum wage is good for those who need better paying jobs it does have it's downfalls.

"I think it's going to cost jobs rather than increase jobs. We'll take the best, the ones that have more ability. The one that doesn't have it, he won't be hired. Now at $3.35/$3.55 per hour, you can afford to take someone on who isn't as productive. But when we get up there to $3.85/$4.00 an hour we will have a better market to select from, and it's going to affect the minority, the ones that are slow learners."

"Here we will be taking on the more talented person. And they're going to be working for four dollars ... they're going to be giving us their all. The slow learners, the ones who can't grasp it, he won't be working ... he won't be working for us. Anytime you raise minimum wage it's just the guy at the bottom of the pole is the guy that suffers," said Thingvold.

Five teachers at BHS are wearing new hats.

In grades seven through twelve what classes students register for determines a teachers schedule for the next school year. "The original registration is to meet the needs of as many students as we can," said Principal Nick Miller. After registration in the Winter, teachers' schedules are designed for the next school year. "I feel that it is more -important to give kids what they want," said Miller, "It's important for the well being of students to have a • choice."

Many seniors in the past have taken business education classes. There are approximate-ly sixty less seniors this year which has lowered business class enrollment. Due to the drop in enrollment there were too many teachers to teach too few classes. "The reassignment of teachers has nothing to do with performance," said Miller, "There are a lot of well rounded teachers, we have a great staff."

BHS teachers are given a notice of six months to prepare before teaching new classes. "In some districts they're not as fair, they're not given any notice until August 15th," said social studies teacher Susan Sodeman, "If it's done with enough warning, it's o.k." Sodeman now teaches three hours of history and two hours of Economics a day. Her specialty is history, which she has been teaching for 19 years. Sodeman says that teaching economics is a personal challenge and is happy about the new opportunity.

Social studies Gerard Rohl, teaches one of her former tenth grade American History classes in exchange. "Students are getting fresh enthusiasm my tenth graders don't get anymore," said Sodeman. "Teachers can be assigned for what they are qualified," said Sodeman, "Some teachers get stuck with what they don't like."

Business teacher Pete Specht, with a minor in physical education, is now teaching tenth grade gym for one hour each school day. He was given a choice between ninth grade, tenth grade, or elective gym class.

Specht said, "I may have helped a teacher keep a job." He is a senior on staff and was selected of three who were also qualified. "When a person gets away from the familiar it's uncomfortable," said Specht, "Now it's okay. It's a good change. The administration has been very helpful."

"If my skills are limited I , have access to other people to demonstrate. The other physical education teachers are very helpful," said Specht.

"If a person has the qualifications in that area it's o.k. Teaching physical educa-tion doesn't help me any. Reassignment can be beneficial but in my case I'm not sure it is."

Hall-work
At 5:30 p.m. in the D-hallway, Junior Julie Hammer does French homework outside of Judy Jacobson's room. (Photo by Paul Wilson)

"There are no bench warmers in Cross Country,"• said first year Boy's Cross Country Coach Gerry Bakke, giving young members, along with the seniors, plenty of opportunity to run.

• "There's a mistaken idea that you go out and run ten miles a day and have your tongue hanging to the ground. I'd like to correct that wrong idea. The work load is geared to what the individual can do," said Bakke.

"During practice no one can tell you to run the next six miles hard, it's up to you and how you want to progress as a runner," said Sophomore Amy Rhodes.

The top spot for the girls is held by Junior Brooke Kincaid, in her second season of cross country. "Sometimes I feel I have to push myself a little bit harder because the coach might expect more from me." Other top runners include Sophomores Jason Minnick, Dan Miller, and Rhodes. Freshman Brian Schmidt has been improving with every meet and currently is the best freshman runner according to Bakke'.

The team has a conference meet October 13 at Hutchinson.

The team ·expects that individually they will do well.

In preparation for any meet, Rhodes said, "Once you get into physical condition, the area you have to push yourself most in, is the mental side."

Kincaid's goal in practice is simply to keep up with Girl's Cross Country Coach Jill Hanson, "Our coach is our fastest runner."

"I would like to go to state, but I'd really have to work hard to get • my time down by twenty seconds if I really wanted to go," said Kincaid. Rhodes' goal for the year is also state competition and getting "closer to Brooke in running times."

...

Both Kincaid and Rhodes said that during the races they think, ''Why do I run?" and answer with, "I don't know."

"It's very individual, especially this year since we have such a small team," Rhodes said.

"We're a young team. We're definitely building for the future. Cross Country is on its way up again in Buffalo," said Bakke.

"A lot of us feel like guinea pigs with the new coach and new system," said Senior linebacker and quarterback Mike Brings.

The Bison football team has two new additions to its coaching , staff this season, Head Coach Kevin Schmeling, formerly t~e B-Squad Coach, and Offensive Coordinator Troy Hendricks. Other members. of the staff in-clude Defensive Coordinator Gerard Rohl, Assistant Offensive Coordinator Dick Miller, and Defensive Coordipator LeRoy Erickson. The new system is a mixture of ideas thought up by Mr. Schmeling and his staff, and borrowed from other teams' programs. "It's a trial year for us and the coach," said Senior middle linebacker and offensive end Jason Hirschey.

Currently the Bison are 2-2. The . team got off to a slow start, but are now on a roll, having won their last two games against Mound.and St. Paul-Humboldt, with scores of 15-14 and 28-6 respectively. • _ Schmeling says the team "has progressed well, considering tlie new offense and defense as well -as the new coaching staff." Hirschey is a little disappointed with the team's record, saying they should be at least 3 and 1. "Monticello is a very good team, but we should have given them a better run," he said.

The team feels that playing city schools helps, because their type of football is more unpredictable and therefore gives the team needed experience. They match up well physically against . the smaller city schools, but it's the mental aspect of the game that. they need to concentrate more on. "We've got to cut down _ on penalties, and improve our overall team discipline," said Senior halfback and defensive end Ji~ Brings. According to Junior fullback and linebacker John Stecker, "Intensity is the key."

Currently, the team is in third place in the Suburba~ West Conference. Said Schmeling, "We're trying to improve on last year's conference finish. I think third place would be a good finish for_us this year." The ultimate goal would be to make it to the Prep Bowl. "Two to three years, Prep Bowl, here we come! And I'll be with them, ·rooting them on--1 wish I was still a freshman," said Mike Brings.

Teammates are quick to com-pliment each other. Offensive tackle and linebacker Geoff Tenney said "Craig Kjorlein has been doing a good job for us." Said Mike Brings, "John Stecker has really stood out. He's averaged close to 125 yards a game, and Matt James psyches himself and everyone else up." Schmeling is quick to add that it _ takes team effort to succeed.

Schmeling is not solely focusing his attention on the Varsity Squad. He has set up an intra-mural league for the junior high teams so that the players will "both get more playing time and develop an interest in the game."

Tennis

The JV Tennis team is having a near perfect year only loosing one match so far. Freshman Christine Sueker who plays singles is one of the many players having an outstanding year.

Many of the JV players are capable of playing at the varsity level, but cannot because there are so many playing. Head Coach Charlie Keifenheim says, "Our goal is to come in first place, and we have a pretty good chance."

Football

Just beginning, fo learn a new offense and needing improvement in the defensive secondary hasn't hurt the B-Squad Football team thus far. In fact, they have utilized the new offense to start off the season with a 4-0 record, defeating Patrick Henry, Monticello, and Mound. The team picked up win number four from St. Paul-Humboldt when they were forced to forfeit.

When asked what were some of his expectations for the rest of the year, Coach LeRoy Erickson replied, "To try to play everybody and for players to improve."

•
Volleyball

Affer losing the first two matches of the season, the girls B-Squad Volleyball team came back to beat Glencoe and Hutchinson to-even their record at 2-2 as of September 26.

Sophomores Tammy Bechtold and Ellen ·Frump are two of the players helping out the team with great serves. Junior Nell Aldrich said, "There has been a lot of improvement already, but their main goal is not to win games, but to prepare players for varsity."

"Every member must realize that they need every other member on the team in order to win," said. Helen Dahlman, head coach of Varsity Volleyball," and in order to win we must be supportive of each member."

"In orcfer to become a better volleyball team and have a good chance at regions and maybe even state, the varsity voµeyball team must play at their very best" Dahlman said.

They are in a tough region this year and in order to go to state they have to beat . Chaska-~ho were ranked third m the regu~n last year. "In order to beat Chaska these girls have to play the be~t game of their life," Dahlman said. "Right now we are two and one in the region."

Because it is so early in the season, the team is not playing as a unit on the floor--it is still six individual players. "Working as a unit now is very inconsistent now " said Dahlman. "We have to b~come a unit in order to win."

But other members of the team such as Stacy Carver and Debbie Wermager think that the team is close to becoming a Ulit, and the strength of the team is mutual--both • on and off the court.

On the offensive side of the court, Dahlman considers that the whole offensive is geared around Carver and Wermager. "The job of the team is to get the ball to the · hitters," said Dahlman.

• The team is still weak in defense but Dahlman said, "The blocking has improved and in order to win the team has to double block, stop hitters at the net and because the team has de~ent height this year, we will be able to ha~e a better advantage towards winning."

To become conference champs, to do well at state, and to develop as a unit, are three main goals of the volleyball team this year. Dah~an concluded that there is a lot of work ahead for these girls, but because of the tremendous fan support and their willingness _to work these girls have a good chance at state.

Seniors Debbie Wermager and Lori Lemke wo~k on their hit-ting and blocking respecively during a practice this week. (Photo by Paul Wilson)

We're in deep· trouble, folks.

Two years agot Nancy Bergert and Co. tried to avoid the situation we're in now, but unfortunately it was inevitable. The Suburban West Conference is going to break-up and we're all in deep trouble.

If you thought only three home football games is terrible, how would you like two or even just one home game? If we become an independent, it could be a possibility.

. As of now, Litchfield will be moving to a new fourteen team conference being fori:ned in the Melrose/ Albany area.

Monticello lucked out. Hutchinson, Monticello, and Buffalo all applied to the Central Lakes Conference. On September 22, Monti was accepted, throwing the rest of the SWC into the dark unknown of independency.

It isn't actually that bad, but it could be.

There are basically two things that the conference can do: invite new members to the conference or disband. The first option is 1mlikely to happen since no one wants to go into a troubled conference.

So now we have to disband. The Minnesota State High School League gives schools who disband ·six months to try to find a conference. After that time, the MSHSL will place the schools of the disbanded conference in new conferences.

Getting turned down by the Central Lakes may not have been so bad after all. This conference includes Brainerd, Alexandria, and Willmar. I • can picture the football team ~ leaving here at 1:00 for an Alex game and not get back to school until after 1:001 In the morning.

How many of you would be willing to be at school in the morning?

The decisions of the North Suburban and Missota are still pending. After they decide our fate, we will wait for the MSHSL to probably stick us with one of them anyway.

Hopefully, we will persevere.

The stripping of Ben Johnson's gold medal in the 100 meter run due to testing positive for drug use has shocked the world. The U.S. team has fared very well in these Summer Olympics, but why does the U.S. do so badly in the Winter Olympics?

The legendary sports broadcaster for "The Wide World of Sports" Jim McKay offers an interesting explanation. He says the whole color scheme of the teams' uniforms just doesn't work. Just a quick footnote, I guess the Luge competition to be held in the next Winter Olympics will take place a day earlier than originally planned.

I don't know why I brought . that up, I guess I just like to say' the word luge, getting back to whatever I was saying ... oh yeah Chris Evert, one of the world's best professional women's tennis players, was destroyed a few days ago by a 9-year-old from Italy--or was she eight? And here I always thought the Olympics were strictly for amateurs. Stupid me.

One last thought: Someone tell me, what ever happened to that intellectual Vikings wide receiver/kick-return specialist, Buster Rhymes? I remember when. the Vikes first drafted Buster a few years back. One reporter asked, "So Buster, how • do you feel about playing for Minnesota?" He responded . "Oh, I don't know, I've never been to the city of Minnesota, Ohio before."

What ·a geographical whiz.

Fall Wrap-~p:
Football
Volleyball
Tennis
cc

Winter Preview:
Hockey_ ,
Wrestling
Basketball
Gymnastics

I've always had problems with upperclassmen--senior girls in particular.

Up until this year lunch had been a terrifying experience. During my first lunch period at BHS I made a mistake that almost cost me my life--I sat at the sacred Senior Table. They glared at me and some of my friends and yelled something about "being stupid" and "someone getting a rope."

At that time I figured this whole seniority thing was bogus. I wasn't the typical freshman who walked down the halls pinned against the walls (oh wow, Aimie, you can rhyme). I went out of my way to be noticed.

Let's stop here and take a journey back about three years. Picture this: It's 1984, the year of mixed plaids, skate boards and breakdancing. My hair hung down in kinked curls on the left side while the right was shaved so it looked like the body of a duckling and probably felt that way too. I wore red baggy Forenza pants from "The Limited" (where else) with a black and red small checked knee-length Esprit shirt and a black and red God-knows-what-was-on-the-front designed Esprit sweater and, of course, red plastic ankle boots. If you haven't already guessed the name of the clothes were important.

Not too different from this year's recruits.

As if my dressing wasn't bold enough, my mouth was heard all over the school. Yeah, I was cool (note the rhyme again). But not as cool as A-lunch freshmen who stand up while they eat. Why do they do this?

Do I ramble? Nooooooo. What was I talking about? Seniors maybe.

Or it could have been lunch. I'm hungry let's talk about lunch. My second learning experience with seniors as a freshman involved lunching with the "Senior Leatherettes", who constantly shot great big fat rubber bands at me, threatened to send me careening back and forth between them down the hall--as if I was a pinball or something. I was thwacked, hacked, and smacked. Oh those wonderful second-year senior girls.

But of course nothing can compare with the senior girls from the class of '86. My outrageous gift of expressing myself made me an heir. The will said "We the Senior class girls leave to Aimie Jones our personalities."

Like I wanted them.

So now I have a real problem: I have trouble with senior girls and now I'm a senior girl. Elvis says "Don't be cruel." Makes sense to me.

So, even if the pre-requisite is cloning a leather jacket stuffed with thick rubber bands and shoving freshmen around down the hallway, I'm not going to do it. Maybe I now understand why some people look at me that weird way--as if I'm an alien or something.

And I'm not going to be mean to freshmen.

So the solution is obvious: I'm not a senior; I'm an alien. Beam me up, Scottie.

(HSN) Sparked by "glasnost" and summit talks, today's superpower teens are turning into super diplomats.

American and Soviet adolescents are exchanging letters, competing athletically and academically, and starring together in televised broadcasts.

This spring about one hundred teens from both countries got to ask each other questions about rock music, fashion, food, dating, teachers and parents via something called a "space bridge," a satellite link between Moscow and the U.S.

Their comments were aired nationwide on the Public Broadcast Service network.

Dr. Anne Raymond Savage, an Old Dominion (Virginia) University administrator who coordinated the teleconference in this country, said the American students were impressed with how "much more open, diverse and individualistic" the Soviet teens were, not "cold, aloof and pugilistic."

From their Moscow studio, the Soviet students also were surprised to learn that American students didn't all own helicopters, get out of bed late and listen to only loud heavy metal music.

In getting to known one another, here's what the American teenagers discovered about Soviet youths:

Soviet teens aren't permitted to get after-school jobs. They smoke a lot of cigarettes, and like to drink Pepsi-Cola and Coke. Since there are few fast-food restaurants in Russia -- at last count three Pizza Huts and a Baskin Robins -- Soviet youths asked a lot of questions about McDonalds.

In the U.S.S.R., only certain bands get government permission to perform and record music.

Soviet teens like American rock and heavy metal music. If they can get tapes from America, they copy them over and over and sell them in the black market.

Teenagers don't "date" in the U.S.S.R. They go out in groups.

Recently, Communist Party leaders decided to reduce students' school week from six days to five.

"A lot of them didn't wear blue jeans," Dr. Mark Tisone, also an Old Dominion University administrator, said about the teleconference students he worked with in Moscow. "Their colors were darker on the whole, blues and grays. You could tell the American students. They were in bright colors, tennis shoes and jeans."

Much of the credit for enhanced youth relations is given to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and his initiative -- known as "glasnost" -- to open U.S.S.R. culture and economics to new influences.

"The Soviets have finally permitted their young people to come to this country," said Liza Malott, a spokeswoman for the President's U.S./Soviet Exchange Initiative.

• Annually, about 10,000 Soviet citizens visit the U.S. compared to ten times that number of Americans traveling to the U.S.S.R.

Although she says it's impossible to track just the number of youth exchanges, Malott said, "the largest percent increase has occurred in high schools."

28 students and three supervisors including Seniors Ingrid Casperson, Kris Veches, Lee Shoquist, Ben Markve, Dean Wahlberg and World Studies teacher John Ause took off for a tour of the Soviet Union on June 23.

While in the Soviet Union the students had an opportunity to witness the 19th All Party Conference, a major political event. According to Ause it was "a debate every bit as free-wheeling as one in America, but judging from this year's election, with much more important issues."

Some of the issues discussed at the conference were "the democratization of Soviet society and the reform of the political system, measures to combat bureaucracy, inter-ethnic relations, openness, and legal reform" according to the September issue of Soviet Life.

"Every aspect of the country astonished me," said Markve.

"Nine of us got left behind and we had to either find our way back to the hotel or go to Gorky Park," said Casperson. "We thought the bus we got on would take us all the way back to the park but it let us off at another stop and a family who was going to the park too us along with them."

"I enjoy working with young people and I think experimental learning is the best there is," said Ause about his involvement with the trip.

Reflecting back on the trip, Markve said that it was "an experience of a lifetime that most students will probably never get."