Norfolk High School - Milestone Yearbook (Norfolk, NE)

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MINI-MAG THE DOG ATE MY BOOK Students' best excuses for teachers, dates, parents As Mike stood in front of the class, again, explaining to Mr. Johnson why his assignment was not complete, the other students could see in his face that this was another one of his stories . It was a very explicit description and almost believable to the teacher, but it was still an EXCUSE. With the many pressures in society, some people just were not perfect. Therefore, justifications of actions became more common. Numerous students missed school because of illness; others because of family related events, but not all explanations were completely convincing. When asked why she was absent from school on a particular day, Sophomore Amy Kamphaus said, All my clothes were in the wash, so I didn't have a thing to wear.” Sophomores had not yet been faced with the opportunity to explain their tardiness after the lunch hour. This problem seemed to plague only the upperclassmen. I was at lunch and I couldn’t stop eating, Junior Tori Hackbarth said in reply as her excuse for being late. Along with the duty of being role models for others, the seniors felt the need to be independent. Senior Laila Pedersen told her best reason for being detained. My mom was late so she didn't get me to school on time. While a few tried to envision the best excuse possible, others took the direct route. They spared no feelings. Just be blunt, say you have a better date, Junior Chris Slahn said when asked his excuse for breaking a date. Whatever the reason, truth or fallacy, believable or not, the 80's student refused to resort to using worn out excuses. -by Ranelle Tighe YOUR DOG ATE WHAT? Best excuses heard by teachers from students They had heard them all. From the old My dog ate my homework to the more modern My computer was down”, time and again, NHS teachers listened to students' excuses. Whether it was not having homework done or being late to class, nothing was new. Jim Kubik, Government teacher, recalled one excuse he heard for being tardy. l was late because the flag football game in P.E. went into triple overtime. Another way of eluding class was to go to the nurse. This seemed to sometimes work but some people carried it too far. I need to see the nurse to get medicine for a place I can't tell you about, was an excuse Steve Morton, Applied Economics and Marketing teacher, heard from one of his students. Then there were those with a creative imagination. They were tired of the same old reason and hoped to get on the teacher's good side. Richard Cross, Speech teacher, remembered one student's excuse for getting out of a class. I have to go hunting for a pheasant to use for a demonstration speech tomorrow. Sometimes a teacher's call for quiet was even the springboard for excuses. To some people, being quiet just did not come naturally. If I don't talk, my throat gets sore, was the excuse History Instructor Ron Bruening heard when he asked a student to stop talking. Not everything was as easy as it looked and smart students did not underestimate teachers. Pulling a fast one on them was getting harder everyday. -by Ranelle Tighe AND JUSTICE FOR ALL Bicentennial of freedom celebrated across U.S. We take it for granted. Years go by and until it is challenged, no one thinks about it. Special courts decide what it means... the most valuable, and most over-looked document in the history of our great nation - the Constitution. This 100th Anniversary year at NHS coincides with the 200th Anniversary of that most precious parchment. It is nearly impossible for us to grasp the idea that as the first class of graduating seniors left Norfolk Senior High, the Constitution was already a year past its first 100 years. That is decades longer than the average human lifetime. And yet, even after so many years, it is as valid as the day it was written; only the paper it is written on has aged. Those men who, 200 years ago, drew up a set of laws to govern an entire nation, must have had incredible foresight. Thanks to that quality, we have stability and justice in this free nation of ours, America, to last for an eternity. -by Kristi Truex 4- Imini-mag

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MINI-MAG THE LONG AND SHORT Change in tradition gives bovs right to choose attire PLAYGROUND PALS Pre-teen relationships change with the times WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?” Daily glance at zodiac enjoyed bv superstitious All men (and women) are created equal. So says the Declaration of Independence, the very document forged from our founding fathers which protects the rights of every American citizen. Students at Norfolk Senior High are obviously citizens of the U.S. of A. and are thus protected by this benevolent document. But did one student at NHS actually get the same, equal treatment as any other student regardless of age, sex, race, or creed? If the issue involved the wearing of shorts, until recently, no. Until the start of the fourth quarter of the 1988 school year, no boy student was allowed to wear any type of short-style pants, while the female students were granted this privilege. The reasons for this type of ruling was not clear, but the main factor for keeping boys shortless was tradition. Yes, the past reared its ugly head and kept all boys from keeping cool on hot days and showing their legs to the general public. Boys were never allowed to wear shorts before and we saw no reason to change the rule, so it never changed, explained Assistant Principal Vern Doran. In the Before Shorts Days, any boy caught wearing shorts was forced to go home and change into pants, the only type of leg clothing allowed by the rules. Late in the spring administrators decided to turn their backs on the old tradition and allowed boys to wear shorts, an action which met with great approval. -by Scott Paulsen 201 ■ mini-mag Grade school friends : they were the ones you went sledding with, had slumber parties with, played kickball with, and formed secret clubs with. But after the pre-teen years, those relationships were tested. Some people kept their grade school playmates and developed life-long friendships. Others, however, lost touch during the transition to Junior High. For those who separated, feelings of regret were common. But the general opinion was that changes were unavoidable and even turned out for the best in some cases. Sometimes I regret not being close to them, but I'm also happy with where I am now, said Junior Brook Bauer. Reasons for disbanding were numerous, but logical. The most common was growing up and apart . As students matured, the things that were once so important became obsolete. Teens found that they had to learn more about themselves, and independence was one of the most valuable qualities to be gained. The memory of playground friends was one that was fondly looked back on and the times shared were never regretted. - by Natasha Siores Cancer (June 21-July 22) Sign of the crab. Big decisions made now can ease confrontation in the future. Romance blooms on the 4th and 27th as your personality flourishes. Watch money matters and travel plans. Sound too corny for you? For a lot of NHS students, horoscopes like this were often read, enjoyed and sometimes believed. Most horoscopes were found in newspapers or magazines, so they were not hard for teens to find. Many students claimed that they were very general and could always have some truth for everyone. But some people still read them, whether they believed in them or not. I think it's interesting to read them to see if they follow through. And most of the time they're true for me, said Junior Jennifer Norman. Reading horoscopes was a common interest among students no matter what their sign was. Although some believed that Fate had a hand in deciding what was to come, most went out and made their own futures happen. by Natasha Siores

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22 1 T Achievements Division