The Inquisitor Knows

    Got the September issue of Seton’s newspaper on the last day of the month and wanted to pass on to those who don’t get a chance to read it  the news/editorial info that it contains.

   Editor-in-Chief Hutton Jackson had a great 1st editorial.  Here’s part of the concluding paragraph:

            “…we rarely fear that we have nothing to contribute, but that others won’t accept what we have to offer.  It is when we feel this way that there is really only one solution to finding our purpose in life:  prayer.  After all, who is the only one who knows you better than you do, but God?  So this school year let us all try to be ourselves in all we do and be accepting of everyone as well.  As St. Francis de Sales said, ‘Be who you are and be that well.’”

   The lead article was a tribute to Dr. Carroll with a picture of Dr. and Mrs. Carroll cutting their wedding cake.  Here’s a quote from the story written by Shannon Kerns:

            “…even after he was disabled by strokes, he attended Mrs. Carroll’s classes at Seton, sitting in the front.  As he became more frail, often when Mrs. Carroll would leave the room he would cry out for her.  Anytime a test was being taken, he would want her to be right there next to him holding his hand.  The couple was inseparable and the pure love they shared set an example of how Catholic couples should live.”

   Advice by Aunt Betty and Uncle Benny was given to a 7th grader finding it hard to make friends right away.  Here’s a piece of it:

            “You know, I don’t think I ever would have met Aunt Betty if I didn’t find the courage to break the ice and introduce myself to her.  (Yes, Aunt Betty was just as shy as you and I…But that’s another story for another time.)”

            The debate column featured the opposing views of Matt Hassan and the duo of Vincent Dunn and Michael Collins who argued whether reading the book or seeing the movie is superior.  As part of their arguments each used The Lord of the Rings.  Matt pointed out that some of the characters were much different in the movie than they were in the book; Vincent & Michael argued that the movie condensed the series of novels into a more understandable form while maintaining the author’s themes.

            Page 6 featured earthquake articles.   Annie Tohill tells us what some students initially thought the earthquake was including a garbage truck and an animal falling on the roof.  James Mossimann was inspired to write a poem:  “Trees were shaking; the ground was quaking, and my head was aching.  I bent over, and I gasped for air.  The quake was over; our lives were spared.”

            Shannon Kerns told of the Munsons, Zambranas and Salases pilgrimages to World Youth Day in Madrid.

            Sports came next with Matt Hassan now reporting on the cross country team which is the largest in recent history.  We’re told that the boys have a tradition of singing (if it can be called that) right after they pray the Rosary at their practices.  At meets the girls cheer for everyone, regardless of what school they are running for.  In a recent meet the boys took 3rd through 6th place led by Stephen Shaw in winning the meet.

            And the boys soccer team is off to a good start according to A.J. Godeaux.  After last year’s 1-7-2 record, they already have three wins against two losses.  I can add here that the record has just been improved with their latest victory over Highland 3-1.

            Grace Remington and Grace Godeaux then give us the heads up on the NFL and MLB with very professional analysis of the seasons.

            A.J. follows that up with a student spotlight on Pierce Baker’s cross country running in a question and answer format.  An example:  What do you think you’ll take from your experience with CC?  “…to keep going in the face of adversity.  A wise marathon runner once said of CC:  ‘This is the Marine’s sport of high school.’”  Pierce then added, “It’s about life.  By being stressed in a controlled environment, it helps people to do better with everyday problems faced in life.”

            Then we find out via Annie Tohill that Seton’s Sub Club won a national championship.  This club has nothing to do with sandwiches – it’s a science club that builds remote controlled submarines.  A high school and junior high team both competed in the regional and national competition.  They won the regional   At nationals the high school team took second in the obstacle course competition while the junior high team won the “Cap the Well” competition which involved capping a 2” PVC pipe and cleaning up the oil slick which was represented by 10 plastic golf balls.  The two teams came home with lots of trophies.

   Grace Remington then tells about a new activity at Seton:  The Seton Majorettes.  There are eight girls in the group and their first performance was at the St. Andrew’s Parish 2011 Spring Carnival last school year and then they performed at the Seton Parents’ PRO meeting in June and at the opening assembly for this school year   Their skills have been praised.  The majorettes are going to be twirling batons and/or waving flags in conjunction with Seton’s drum line at parades and other exhibitions.

   Next we are introduced to the six new teachers described as a math whiz teaching grammar (Mr. Erwin); a prison worker handling German (Mrs. McCaa); a missionary teaching English (Miss Faur); an ex-Naval engineer teaching science (Mr. Hoffman); an active member of the Legion of Mary teaching art history (Mrs. Holmes) and a Pittsburgh native who joined the faculty just a week before school started (Mrs. Ciskanik).

   How do Seton students feel when their older siblings head off to college? Sarah Blanchard reports that there is a wide range of reactions – from not being affected at all to weeping for 19 straight days.

   We learn that the Seton girls had to come in before school to make sure that their skirts met the new standards in an article by Mary-Margaret Harrill.

   A whole page is dedicated to seniors helping sevies.  Chris Baker and Thomas Aveni tell of the Big Brother-Little Brother and Big Sister-Little Sister program which has already included giving the 7th graders Back to School Bags at the Pizza/Pepsi/Polaroid Party.  Then Thomas also gives sound backpack advice:  Don’t overload;  Roller backpacks are no good; Make sure your backpack is zippered;  Nuggetting is not cool.  (That’s turning a backpack inside out.) 

   Thomas seems to be taking over the paper as the next page begins with his article entitled “Answering the Call”  a tribute to the firefighters of 9-ll.   And Chris Baker finishes the page with his discussion of the success of Pro-Life Flash Mobs. 

   The back page has 11 colored photos of the seniors work and fun involved in loading up medical supplies and other goods bound for Haiti.

   This first issue is a great blend of the traditional and the new.  I read the paper straight through and found all of it interesting.  We’ll be trying to keep you up-to-date on happenings at Seton.  And remember you can go to seton-school.org for more info.  Also sports results can be found at maxpreps (Seton is in Division II of the VISAA and the Delaney Athletic Conference) and state rankings at virginia independent schools athletic association.

   Today, October 7th , on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Seton students and faculty will be making their consecration to the Sacred Heart:  To Jesus through Mary.  That must mean that the Enthronement Dance is not far off.       

 

Jezu, ufam Tobie. 

     

   

           

 

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