Venango Christian High School - Saga Yearbook (Oil City, PA)

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AN INTERVIEW WITH NEW FACULTY MEMBERS by Nancy Petulla It is difficult to make an exact statement,” SISTER VIRGINIA decided, except that the girls have to raise their standards.” Then we asked, DO VENANGO CHRISTIAN STUDENTS HAVE AS MUCH SCHOOL SPIRIT AS OTHER STUDENTS? SISTER MARY MICHAEL: In some ways, perhaps. We have some kiddoes who could learn to apply themselves scholastically. 1 would like to see more enthusiasm in the matter of scholarship. SISTER JANET: Well, they have wonderful school spirit, es- pecially the in-coming freshman. They were really interested in the Christmas Drive. They talked over making posters to encourage the rest of the school to do their part. I think they only learned this from older brothers and sisters and older friends.” FATHER MURRAY: The school spirit seems to be growing I think it is something the students and faculty build up together.” MR. CAVANAUGH: There is good school spirit; I have had some association with school spirit and I think it is improving here.” FA I HER KREBS: believes, The school spirit is very impressive at the present time.” SISTER MARY LOURDES: Venango has great school spirit if one bases it on the rally. In fact, I was pleased and edified by the way they attend Mass, but scholastically! hope to see the girls and boys doing better.” SISTER TERESITAthinks that the school spirit is in the process of being organized as an educational unit. There is more interest in per- sonal activities than in school functions.” Finally, one question concerned student-teacher relationships: IS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STUDENT AND TEACHER DIF- FERENT HERE THAN AT OTHER SCHOOLS? The replies were more thoughtful: Well, to some degree it is easier than at previous schools. I have many extra curricular activities and more of a chance to under- stand the students,” relayed SISTER MARY MICHAEL. One thing, the students have not hesitated if they needed any help,” SISTER JANET said, but I think the student has to consider the school as a Mystical Body all working toward a single goal.” MR. CAVANAUGH tells us, No. I haven’t found much yet.” FATHER KREBS says, The problem is that I have taught the lecture methods and students just took notes. Whereas, with these stu- dents, it is very much easier to supply the need. The students are very open to ask questions for additional help.” The communication between student and teacher is on a per- sonal basis rather than strictly being student-teacher. I don’t think it is what it should be. I don’t understand the courtesy or lack of cour- resy here,” says SISTER TERESITA. SISTER MARY LOURDES ended with, The communication is favorable. ” Sister Mary Michael: Spanish, His- tory Sister Mory Lourdes: Office Prac- tice, History, English, Reading Father Hartle: Math, Religion, Phy- sical Science, Algebra Father Krebs: Religion, History, Latin 5

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Latest Reports About You and Me! Photos by Ted Szalewicz Sister Virginio: English Father Murray: Religion, Readingj English Mr, Cavanaugh: Religion, Latin, English, Reading Every year brings new resolutions, new students, and most impor- tant, new faculty members. In order for the student and teacher to be- come better acquainted, The Barque has attempted to lind out their first impressions and attitudes toward the school. We approached them with this question: WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR NEW TEACH- ING ASSIGNMENTS? SISTER MARY MICHAEL, familiar with the Oil City area says, It’s nice to be back with all of the nice students, especially to find many of the juniors and seniors I know. I thought that they had already graduated.” SISTER JANET explained, I like the students best of all; the students are a wonderful group.” then smiled after being handed a lost purse, but they are constantly losing things.” FATHER MURRAY, whose appointment to Venango is his first teaching experience is intent on, trying to accept the challenge of bringing Christ to the student and helping them to develop a full per- sonality.” MR. CAVANAUGH, on the other hand, likes the good sense of discipline in this school.” The opportunity to have a part in the education of young people, to help them realize the effect that Christ may have in their lives, and,” FATHER KREBS added, to bring the real Christ into their lives.” SISTER MARY LOURDES expressed, the thrill of the wonderful advantages of a new school. The building is so well equipped; every facility is here to make teaching easier.” SISTER TERESITA says the thing she likes best is the effort to give the student a great deal of freedom; 1 have especially noticed this at lunch time.” This is the first time in many years 1 have had mixed classes,” explained SISTER VIRGINIA. But the first question posed another one: HOW DO THE STUDENT BODIES OF PREVIOUS SCHOOLS COMPARE WITH OUR STUDENT BODY? This school is about one-third the size of the school 1 taught in last year. Venango is about four times as big as Saint Gregory’s North East, where I taught recently,” SISTER MARY MICHAEL said. SISTER JANET hates to compare schools because she says VCHS is different than schools in big cities. But she did say that there is no one like the people in Oil City, they are so friendly.” FATHER MURRAY thinks we have a good group of students here who are typical teenagers with the usual ups” and downs”. The students here are a little more eager to learn than the ones I have been in contact with before,” stated MR. CAVANAUGH.

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The End by Frank Shialabba Is there a man who9s never said. This tvorld of ours is good as dead. Arise, awake. and see the vice. I say, would you please pass the ice. M Today9s a day of rest, you see, Indulge and let your soul be free. ...and then you say he prayed too long. His death, in part, U’l rigA Me wrong “Of all whom I have seen and heard. The sick in mind is most absurd. Of all the vile forgotten men. Mot one to me9s the more condemned. “If left to me this world of ours Would surge and plunge and reach the stars. The end of sin and strife and dread.99 This world of ours is good as dead! For Cheats Are you really observant around your school? Or do you take Venango for granted? Here is a test of your school perception. Don’t peek during the test. We aren’t taking the grade. In fact, don’t read your questions until you get home, or don’t cheat if you feel compelled to answer them at school. We know you flunked. On to the questionnaire. Remem- ber, you may not pile up points but your humility will improve dras- tically. 1. What color are the walls in the cafeteria? 2. What is on your homeroom bul- letin board? 3. What color is the floor in your homeroom? 4. How many doors lead into the gym? 5. How many fire extinguishers can you picture? 6. What color is on the walls in the office? 7. What kind of pen does your best friend use? 8. How many buses arrive at Venango in the morning 9. Can you count all the rooms on the second floor? Oh, all right, peek. I'm a loner. Right now. I'm a teen- age loner and when I reach 21, I’m going to be an adult loner. It all stems from my crowd complex. You see, I can’t stand crowds. I just don’t know how to like them. When I see a room with more than three people in it, I go a funny color of purple and begin to hiccup. When there are four of us trying to sit in a seat accomodating two and a half on a bus, I go crazy. And when I’m standing in one of six lines out in the school hall trying to get to class in three minutes, I end up going to the office. Another thing: lunch. I eat in a cafeteria. (Another thing I could say a few carefully selected words a- bout) And if you’ve ever eaten in a cafeteria, you know what you find. Rationed food and enormous crowds. 5 minutes left. Five minutes to find a chair (not to mention a table), eat and wade through a line 30 people deep and 60 people wide to take my dishes back. Another enjoyable event that cli- maxes my fun-filled, lively day in a sardine can is my rush to the bus. Just because of my good luck, I was assigned first bus. This means I have three minutes to get out of my last class, run down the hall,(takes me about a minute and a half) down the stairs and three-fourths of the first floor hall. I'm completely ig- noring the door...it's hopeless. I’ve also given up trying to get to my locker after school...it's pitiful. But, after a year and one month, I've finally mastered getting to my bus on time. Getting on it is another thing, but I do get to it. You see, we’ve got 20 seats, each seating two and one-half (they can say three till they're blue in the face. I say two and one-half) and an aisle. That stands ten. I usually end up very near the bumper, but not far enough away to be called anything else. My mother has 4 boys, 4 girls, 2 cats, 1 dog and usually 27 neigh- bors’ kids around the house. When I try to get to the kitchen to eat, I feel like I’m walking to the conces- sion stand at Yankee Staduim. Well, I give up. Despite it all. I’ve come to this conclusion: I need people; people make crowds; crowds are a mess and nothing ever seems to go right, does it? The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance. 6