Corette: Volume 5 Issue 1

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Let’s meet

BY PAIGE SCHERRER ‘24

The 2022 school year has just begun, and many Chargers have gotten the chance to meet our fabulous new Dean of Academics, DR. BOHAC. But how well do we really know her? Here is the inside scoop on the REAL Dr. Bohac, from her favorite classes in high school to new changes coming to Cor Jesu.

Do not miss out!

PIZZA, buffalo chicken dip, & filet mignon PLUS

Anything made by Flynn Foods

Fav Food Fav Class

First Job

She lifeguarded everywhere as a teenager, but she never worked at big community pools. Dr. Bohac even had to save a life once!

Educational Leadership in college:

Dr. Bohac has always been very passionate about education, and this class perfectly pieced together all of her interests.

Best Memory from High School

The FUN and SPIRIT!

She loved all the events, from the pep rallies to the fall festivals.

Photo courtesy of Colleen Barry Weber

a dean!

Notre Dame -> CJ ??

Dr. Bohac has a strong love for the Cor Jesu community and the Apostles of the Sacred Heart, so the shift to Cor Jesu seemed natural.

Day in the Life... More Changes?

She oversees everything inside the classrooms con cerning curriculum and teachers, including hiring.

Least Fav Dean Duty

None! She loves working with parents, students, and the community. She also has been able to find a balance between work and fun!

Fav CJ Tradition

So far... Dr. Bohac loves Friday mass with the all-school lunch cheers. The CJ spirit really stands out in what we do, and she is proud of that.

Let out a big breath of relief, because there are no more major changes planned... yet!

BUCKET LIST

Dr. Bohac would LOVE to take her family to Europe. She is very sad that she missed the trip last year, but she is always looking for opportunities in the future.

Photo courtesy of Colleen Barry Weber

The Definition of Success

By Sophie Mikhail ‘24

What sets the finish line to success? How am I going to set myself apart from the crowd?

As we grow and develop our skills, we may feel as though there is one thing we need to do to feel accomplished. We tell ourselves, “If I just get an A on this test, I’ll finally feel good about this grade.” This mindset falls short as we con tinue to reach our goals. Once we get that A, we feel the urge to continue to improve. There is no limit to the goals that we can set for ourselves, and there should be no limit. If we pre tend as though there is a finish line to success, we will never reach our true potential.

Is there a point in time when one truly becomes successful? Is this milestone easily recognizable? From a young age, the idea of success has been present ed in a rigid way to many of those who struggle with the topic. Success can be defined from an academic standpoint, with goals con sisting of getting straight As, going to a prestigious university, and making a liv ing doing something that is both fulfilling and that will provide stability. Success can also be defined accord ing to other talents, such as sports, music, or art. Will I get a D1 offer? Is my music going to be recognized and taken to the next level? Will my art be taken seriously?

Questions like these arise more and more as the years pass, and as young people who are preparing to make difficult decisions about our futures,

these questions dictate one of the first big choices we get to make: What to do with our lives after high school.

Ultimately, success is subjective. Each individual has a specific idea of the term, which then aligns with her goals, activities, and the things important to her. If, for example, one defines success as getting her dream job, she will focus on the steps of get ting there. What school will give her the best chance of getting this job? How can she get to this school? This almost seems obvi ous; however, recogniz ing each individual’s own perception of success can help put these goals into perspective. It can give some purpose to each activity a person takes part in, making years of study ing, practicing, or working worthwhile.

How can I work towards success?

Although there is no true defi nition for the term, there are aspects of success that make it enticing, attainable, and worth while for everyone. If success is thought of in limited terms, then it can be overwhelming. Teenage girls may feel pressure from par ents, teachers, or friends to push themselves beyond a healthy na ture under the pretense of work ing towards success. However, success should not be achieved at the expense of mental health. Once this is understood, success begins to feel more attainable. It is not always about being the best at something, but rather reaching personal goals. This can be put into perspective using the example of preparing for col lege. Instead of enrolling in all the hardest classes Cor Jesu of fers just to put it on a transcript, a student could look towards how each class will influence her learning. Picking classes and extracurriculars that are genuinely interesting will push each student to want to work harder. Excitement about tasks makes things that are hard work feel like fun. Ultimately, success is a cultivation of perseverance and dedication, but in order for one to truly feel successful, she must find out what she is passionate about, and in turn discover a love of learning.

“Success is not the key to hap piness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” -Albert Schweitzer

The Lemp Mansion

St. Louis’s Own Haunted House

My brothers and I infront of the mansion

A Brief History

It all started in 1838, when the Lemp family of Eschwege, Germany immigrated to a small German settlement in St. Louis, now known as BenBen ton Park. With humble beginnings, the Lemps built a small grocery store, in which their most popular item for purchase was beer. This beer was unordi nary, and new to St. Louis. It was a lighter beer called a lager and the recipe had been passed down in the family. The popularity of the lager grew rapidly, prompting Adam Lemp to build a brewery, and later to utilize the limestone caves found in the area as additional space for the beer to go through the aging process. Soon enough the business was a million dollar one, allowing the Lemps to purchase the mansion. Adam’s son, William Lemp, bought the impressive property in 1876 from his father in law Jacob Feickert who built the house 8 years prior. William’s family moved in soon after and it further served as an office for the booming business.

Mansion

Horrors on the Homestead

After the premature death of William Sr.’s most beloved son, the decline of his mental state followed. Furthermore, a dear friend of his passed away shortly after, leaving William crushed. The severity of his condition worsened, and ultimately drove him to take his own life by a firearm in the office of the mansion. Later in the family’s history, another tragic death occurred. With new competing breweries on the rise and later the instatement of Prohibition, the Lemp brewery’s business dwindled. William Lemp Jr. decided to sell the brewery and the once successful family business came to an end. This caused William Jr. to succumb to depression, and eventually he, like his father, took his own life in the Lemp mansion office. Two other instances of self-inflicted deaths took place in the house, includ ing the death of Elsa Lemp and the death of Charles Lemp. Charles reportedly ended the life of his dog and proceeded to end his own. These tragic events gave Lemp Mansion its sinister and grim reputation.

Paranormal Possibilities

The building was used as a boarding house and now a restaurant,and since then, countless sightings of apparitions have been described by residents and staff of the mansion. Julia Lemp, wife of William Sr. was rumored to descend the stair case in a white night gown by staff members. The attic of the mansion is said to be haunted by an illegitimate son of William Jr. His existence was kept under wraps and he was forced to stay in the attic for the entirety of his life. Some have seen the boy staring out of the third floor windows. Toys were placed in a drawn circle in the middle of the attic by paranormal investigators in order to observe if they would be moved by the boy. The experiment was repeated several times and the toys never failed to be in a different location the next day. Often, ghosts of Lemp family mem bers would appear, glassware from the restaurant supposedly levitates and moves on its own, the barroom piano plays itself, doors lock on their own, and lights flick er. Whether these occurrences can be chalked up to coincidence, the mansion’s questionable past is believed to be an explanation.

Autumn Adventures

By Lila Dothage ‘24

ATTENTION STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND FRIENDS!

Are you looking for adventure? A place to get out and enjoy the early autumn weather? This article will highlight three St. Louis County parks perfect to explore this fall season. Whether you are looking for casual walks, exciting hikes, fishing, road or mountain biking, or even roller blading, these parks will be perfect for you. If it’s your first time visiting or you know the trails like the back of your hand, you’ll have a blast!

CASTLEWOOD STATE PARK

located in Ballwin off Manchester Road

Hours: 7:30 a.m. – half hour after sunset, year round

1,818 acres with Meramec flowing through and lookout points over the river Kid, dog, and horse friendly!

17 miles of trails

Open fields, public restrooms, updated playgrounds, and shallow creeks

PAVED trails: walking, roller blading, road biking

DIRT trails: hiking, trail running, mountain biking

WARNING!

The river runs quickly and is dangerous. Many flash floods and strong currents. Swimming is allowed, but not suggested.

CREVE COEUR PARK

located in Maryland Heights off Doresett Road

Hours: 8 a.m. – half hour after sunset, year round

2,145 acre park, 320 acre lake

4 playgrounds and spray fountain play area for kids!

Public restrooms and reservable shelters

FUN FACT!

Creve Coeur is French and means “broken heart.”

NEW WATER TRAIL: 6 mile journey across lake and up the creek

Lake open to public for non-motorized water sports

Go Ape Adventure Park

CLIFF CAVE COUNTY PARK

located in South County off Telegraph Road

Hours: 8 a.m. – half hour after sunset, year round 525 acres

Borders Mississippi River, lookout points 170 feet above

GRILLS located around park

Public restrooms and Riverside reservable shelter

Both paved and forest dirt trails for hiking, biking, and other activities

Cave closed to public, but GUIDED TOURS offered in the summer

Photo courtesy of stlouiscountymo.gov

Halloween History, Traditions, and More

By Abby Knox ‘24

As September comes to an end, there is a chill in the air and the leaves are begin ning to change into beautiful reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. This can only mean one thing: Fall is rapidly approaching. With Fall comes my favorite holiday, Halloween. When thinking about Halloween, I often think about young kids running around with sugar coursing through their veins and abundances of candy in their hands. That is what I imag ine when thinking of Halloween in the present, but I often question what Halloween was like in the past.

Do you too often find yourself wondering where Halloween came from? Halloween was originally started by a group called the Celts, the largest group in ancient Europe. They celebrated this day as Samhain, which means summers end. With summer’s end comes a dark, cold, winter. With winter comes death. This is why during the day known as Samhain, the Celts would light large bonfires as well as dress up in costumes to scare off the ghosts they thought were nearby.

Now that you know a little bit about the history of Halloween, let’s look at the ma jor traditions and candy of Halloween. One of my favorite Halloween traditions is making the little Pillsbury Halloween cookies. The top Halloween traditions in the US are carving pumpkins, wearing spooky costumes, visiting haunted houses, and telling scary stories. I have to say I have done all of these except going to a haunted house. Another big thing I think about when thinking of Halloween is candy. Not just any old candy, specifically Can dy Corn. You either love it or hate it. Personally, it’s a favorite of mine. Candy Corn has been around since the 1880s. Candy Corn was originally named “Chicken Feed” because of its vibrant colors. I hope you have learned some new things about the popular holiday, Halloween. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Koenig: Genius, Poet.

By Maggie Hamel

In fall of 2014, most of us were too young to hear about the gruesome, yet intriguing murders of the time. So while I never got to enjoy the Podcast Serial in its prime, my mom was involved in the true crime fanaticism. Then, late this summer, she recommended this podcast, which I reluctantly listened to. Many people my age listen to Crime Junkie or Dr. Death, which have both come out in more recent years. But Serial by Sarah Koenig is the podcast that started all podcasts. Its week-by-week storytelling format took the world by storm when it first came out; when I listened recently, I understood the enthusiasm. The first season follows the case of Adnan Syed, a Baltimore teenager in 1999 and the main suspect of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. I was interested for the duration of the season, and finished it in three days (about 9 hours of tape), which I thought was embarrassing. It also led me to listen to season two and three as well. It might be embarrassing to say, but I felt like a detective following leads to bring justice to this case. The genius of the show inspired hundreds of podcasts in the following years (like In Your Own Backyard, which I would suggest) and even the Emmy award-winning show Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.

This podcast had a gigantic explosion of fame when it was first released. It remained number one on the iTunes charts for months after the last episode aired, and basically founded the true crime genre itself. I had never considered what started this macabre trend of following the grim cases of killers, but now I realize it was Sarah Koenig. Her amazing de tective abilities started the process of Syed’s mistrial process, after she discovered a signifi cant amount of improper conduct in his court case.

While the podcast did not fully convince me whether Syed was guilty or not, it did show me some significant failings of the justice system. I, along with many fans, am tru ly happy that he will get his chance of freedom again. I also recommend season three of this show, following a courthouses’ daily events in Cleveland. It gave a major insight to the workings of a government building that I had never seen before.

This podcast was not just informative and enjoyable. It made me flip-flop sides, change perspectives, and think outside the box. I call Koenig a poet, because she has beau tiful storytelling capabilities and genius investigative skills. In the end I’m so glad I got this insight into the justice system, criminal law, and investigative journalism. I have solace in the fact that when the justice system fails us, Koenig will not.

Remembering HER MAJESTY

By Sophia Mueller ‘24

During her 70 years of reigning the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II impacted the lives of many. At the age of 25, she was passed down the crown from her father, King George VI, after he died from many lung tumors.

At the time, she had two kids, Charles and Anne, and later had two more children, Andrew and Edward, with Prince Phillip.

Queen Elizabeth II, became the longest reigning monarch in Brit ish history and the longest reign ing female monarch in history on September 8, 2022. Her death marked one of the most success ful reigns in any monarchy. Over her reign, she gained a favorabil ity of 75% in a recent British poll. She was the “people’s Queen.”

The Royal Coronation

On June 2, 1953, over twenty million people in the U.K. tuned in to watch or listen to the Queen’s royal coronation at Westminster Abbey, London. She and Prince Phillip arrived at the coronation in a gold state coach pulled by eight grey gelding horses. She wore a white and gold gown and the Robe of Estate, which has been passed down by the British monar chy since 1308.

The crowning happened in St. Edward’s chair, a chair made for King Edward’s coronation in 1300 and has been used every coronation since then. The crown and the orb, both made in 1661, were the most important pieces of regalia used during the ceremony, both made of solid gold and an assort ment of jewels.

Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was the first of its kind to be televised. For many people, this was the first television segment they had ever watched, it lasted almost three hours and was broadcasted by BBC.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Over the Decades

Born April 21, 1926, Elizabeth was born into the second born son of Queen Mary of Teck. After her uncle abdicated from the throne in 1936, she became the first apparent heir to the throne from her father.

Elizabeth met Prince Phillip at the age of eight, and 13 years later, the couple got married on November 20, 1947. Less than a year later, the couple welcomed their first son, now King Charles III, into the world. Princess Anne was born August 15, 1950, and continued to be the only daugh ter of Elizabeth and Phillip.

On February 6, 1952, Elizabeth became Queen upon her father’s

death, while she was abroad in Kenya. She was crowned Queen on June 2, 1953, and set out on her Commonwealth tour shortly thereafter.

On February 19, 1960, Eliza beth welcomed her third son, Prince Andrew, and welcomed her fourth son, Prince Edward, four years later. In 1977, Eliza beth celebrated her silver jubi lee, representing her 25 years on the throne. Twenty years later, her daughter-in-law, Princess Di ana, died in a car crash, prompt ing Elizabeth to air a television tribute to Diana’s life. She celebrated her Golden Jubi lee in 2002, celebrating her 50

The Crown

A historical drama television series released in 2016 by Net flix, the Crown follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. With 4 seasons, 10 episodes in each airing over an hour long, this show interprets the life of the British royal family in a dramat ical sense. As you watch each season, it takes you throughout each decade since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Season 5, set to premiere in November of 2022, is scheduled to follow the family during the turmoil of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage breakdown and Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997.

years on the throne. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth officially be came the longest reigning Brit ish monarch in history, surpass ing Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom by seven years.

In April of 2021, Prince Phillip died at the age of 99, after 73 years of marriage with Eliza beth. In February of 2022, Eliz abeth celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years on the throne.

On September 8, 2022, Eliz abeth died at the age of 96, in Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Throughout the seven decades of her reign, people all over the world were affected her gener osity and kindness7

photos courtesy of Flickr