Books worth your time
Plenty of open seats
Bring on the best knits
Brandon Vetter looks at the best assigned reading. see Opinion - pg. 3
Adam Duwel reports on games that are more like practices. see Sports - pg. 8
Gus Middendorf rates the annual ugly sweater offerings. see Arts & Entertainment- pg. 14
Published by the Students of Elder High School
Volume 89 Number 4
December 18, 2020
Food and Toy Drive reaches out despite pandemic Gus Middendorf ‘21 Features Editor
As this year has proven so far, Covid-19
is no roadblock for Elder’s outreach programs, and the 2020 Food and Toy Drive is no exception. The fieldhouse looked as it does about every year, stands filled wall to wall with boxes of food, countered by tables of brand-new toys waiting to be delivered to a child in need. However, present circumstances still stand, and even the drive has been affected by the pandemic. Across the packed fieldhouse, amidst the familiar faces of Mr. Warren, Kovasic, Grozek, and Mrs. Montgomery, one man, Mr. Witte, stands at the center of it all. According to other organizers, Mr. Witte is the backbone of the whole operation, lending a hand to the drive since anyone can remember. It makes perfect sense, as it was his mother who spearheaded the drive back in the late 70’s. “She was an active member of the Elder Mom’s Club,” he recounts, “and she really got this whole thing started.” Witte remembers the drive was not the same as it was now, operating on a much smaller scale and giving out only ‘gently’ used toys. But, after some fifty years of growth and hard work, the program became the center of the Elder Christmastime. Taking over after her passing in 2005, Mr. Witte has helped to keep this beautiful tradition alive and well. Things were a little different this year, though. Pandemic restrictions taken by or-
ganizers did away with the typical process of Elder students’ hand-delivering boxes, an act that could easily spread the virus to the people they are trying to help. Instead, all supplies were packed into trucks to be delivered to community centers, where families came to them to receive gifts. Senior Luke Gavin, a student who has been helping with the drive as long as he could, admitted he was “disappointed that we couldn’t deliver them like we usually do, but I’m grateful we could still help out with set-up.” He also commented his hopes for next year: “delivering the boxes to each family is a fantastic experience, so I hope next year the underclassmen who missed out will be able to do that.” The fact that students and teachers can’t participate in the Food and Toy Drive like normal is of course terrible, but we should remember that the main goal of BELOW: Just like every other year, the fieldhouse is filled to the brim with boxes of food and toys for local needy families.
Memorial Mass and Changing of the Signs prevail in COVID times Brandon Vetter ‘21 Staff Writer
Year after year, Elder commemorates its
soldiers who have fallen in battle. These soldiers are known to many around school as “Elder’s 11.” These are the 11 soldiers that attended Elder and were killed in action during the Vietnam War. Their memories still live on strongly through the Memorial Mass and the Changing of the Signs. Each year on Veteran’s Day, Elder holds a mass to memorialize these fallen soldiers and their families. Also, we invite members from the Elder community who have lost a loved one in the past year to come and celebrate their loved one’s life. It has always been a special day for Elder because it gives us a chance to show our appreciation to not only Elder’s Eleven but soldiers fighting all around. The Changing of the Signs is our way of honoring and displaying these soldiers for everyone else on the Westside. The Support the Troops Club moderator Mr. Quatman explains why this ceremony is so important: “The Changing of the Signs ceremony is so special because it is a way for Elder to honor those alumni who
died fighting for our country in Vietnam. We honor them each year by placing two names on each of the signs positioned on Glenway.” Many people pass these signs each day without knowing the importance it serves for these soldiers and their families. These events help bring light to their unbelievable sacrifice. Mr. Quatman also states that “those names stay up there for an entire year and then we rotate to the next pair, making sure that the memory of these veterans is preserved.” This year, however, was different from years past. Sadly, the corona virus pandemic hindered the attendance and also moved part of the ceremony outside. Normally, the Memorial Mass and Changing of the Signs are right after each other in the fieldhouse, but this year the sign changing was in the Schaper Center parking lot right next to where the signs are displayed. It was actually very special to have it right there because everyone was able to see the signs uncovered and displayed proudly on Glenway Avenue. The two names honored this year were Marine Corps Corporal William Francis Reiter and Elder’s Twelfth Man. Elder’s Twelfth Man represents all of the casualties of Elder military members
ABOVE: Juniors Nicholas Paff and David Gruen help each other pack a box.
the drive - thanks to the creativity and hardwork of organizers was still accomplished. Despite changes faced this year, the drive is still important as ever, perhaps even more so according to Mr. Warren. “The families we’re reaching out to are the ones hit the hardest by the pandemic,” he explains. “Many have lost their jobs and for those who didn’t face having hours cut. It truly is important for these families.” So, the group of Elder organizers have planned, labored, adapted for months to prepare for the big day on December 9, where they finally made their deliveries. All in all, the Food and Toy Drive continued to be a massive success, packaging and delivering around 230 boxes of food, toys, and supplies. It is amazing that despite such adversity the Elder family gave its best and still managed to continue one of its most special traditions, once again showing Elder is and will forever be committed to serving all of God’s children. As junior Charlie James says, “It really is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been given the privilege to be a part of. Elder is such a special place once you look for it.”
Due to pandemic restrictions, the ceremony for this year’s honorees was held in the Schaeper Center parking lot. (photos courtesy of Mr. Bill)
throughout time. These are the nameless members killed in action lost in time but never forgotten. These soldiers will never go unnoticed for their service because there is proudly displayed on Glenway and in the halls of Elder. Also, there was a new addition to the memorial the shadowboxes of the Elder 11 in the North Wing this year. A decorated helicopter blade that came from the helicopter one of Elder’s 11, Michael Witt, flew will also be on display soon. It is a very complex story on how Elder came into possession of this important piece, but it will be a treasured piece in the years to come. The Support the Troops Club will be helping our military very soon with our
annual care packages. Each year we send care packages to Panthers serving in the military and others in the area serving. Thank you to all members of our military for your service, bravery, and strength.
Inside The Quill
Opinion....................................... 2,3 Faculty Features...................... 4,5,6 Student Features....................... 7,12 Sports......................................... 8,9 Features.................................. 10,11 Arts & Entertainment........ 13,14,15 Back Page.................................... 16
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Friday December 18, 2020
Opinion
Top classroom decor Phillip Hoffman ‘22 Staff Writer
As the Holiday time approaches you begin to see more decorations all over the town.
Kevin Long ‘21 Staff Writer
Traditional radio, once dubbed the dominant home electronic entertainment medium,
is dying. Radio may still seem like it is still flourishing and has survived many of the initial challenges presented by online music streaming. After all it’s doing just fine and has stood up remarkably strong to the competition from streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and even internet radio rivals such as Pandora. This however ignores the true danger streaming platforms pose to radio. These streaming platforms are attacking much like a snake, at first a quick bite at the listener base, this is what gets all the attention, but the deadliest part of a snake’s attack is actually the slow but tight squeeze after it has stunned its prey. That is where we are now with the war for music listeners, streaming’s quick sudden attack on radio has already received its attention and now it begins the silent but deadly squeeze. Almost the entirety of radio’s business model depends on advertisements, and for years this has worked. Radio has historically been one of the best ways to connect with a large base of listeners across a variety of demographics. Radio has also been a great way to reach the much coveted 18-34 age demographic. The problem with this model is that radio is quickly losing this core audience and advertiser demographic. As they slowly lose their most valuable demographic, advertisers become less willing to pay high prices for radio ads. As the value of advertisements decline, the number of ads necessary to keep stations afloat will keep increasing. This problem then compounds itself because listeners, even outside the younger demographic, will become frustrated with radio, and the large number of ads they hear and begin to look for alternatives. Alternatives you may argue, are not as accessible as the near ubiquity of the FM radio in vehicles where many people make their daily commute and one of the peak times for radio listeners. While that may currently be the case, cars manufactured after 2016 are overwhelmingly coming with dashboard mounted control monitors and screens which highlight streaming services available on platforms like Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay. Radio may still be available, but it is relegated to underneath the main display, or sometimes even hidden in a difficult to find menu. Some cars have even begun shipping without native support for FM or AM radio. If this trend continues any advantages traditional radio has over streaming services will fade away This cycle of decline will continue until stations are no longer making enough money to continue operations. Radio will sputter out as it takes its last dying breath, and after the snake finishes its attack, streaming gets to enjoy its sweet, tasty snack.
Everyone loves seeing festive colors and lights. At Elder High School, some teachers even will decorate their room for the Christmas season or just with fun posters for the year. I decided to review the top three decorated classrooms of Elder. There were many teachers and rooms to consider for this list, but after careful consideration I finally narrowed it down. Coming in at the number three spot is Mr. Nugent’s room. Without thinking I knew Mr. Nugent’s room had to receive a top spot or at the least an honorable mention. As soon as you walk into his room you immediately notice the props and attention-grabbing items in the room. The first item I see when walking in the room is his life size cutout of Chewbacca. When sitting in Mr. Nugent’s room, you’ll begin to take note that he certainly is a Star Wars fan. He has two Chewbacca’s in his room, one in a picture and another in the shape of a cutout. When asking Mr. Nugent, the story behind them he said ,“For a long time I used the saying, ‘Don’t poke the bear.’ I would show my class a video of a zookeeper poking a bear while trying to feed him. One year for Christmas I received my cutout Chewbacca and set it in here as an example. A few years later at Kings Island in the gift shop I saw a framed picture of surfboard Chewy. I hung that up in my room to show students the chill and angry side of Chewy.” With the incredible props and Mr. Nugent, himself playing guitar, his room will always be a fun environment to have class in. Ranking in at number two is North Wing 122! I was planning on throwing Mr. Quatman in at number two for his “Friday nights are for the Panthers” banner alone, but Senora Corey stated, “My room is way cooler than Mr. Quatman’s.” Where to start with Mrs. Corey’s room? The second you walk in you are hit with the vivacious colors and festive wall hangings. Every part of the room has its own individual story. Rather than just Elder décor, there are lots of cultural pieces of art that can help relate to her class. No matter where you are looking, you’ll never find a dull corner in room 122. Lastly, coming in at spot number one is Mrs. James! With no possible doubt in my mind Mrs. James’s has the most intriguing, fun, and best styled classroom at Elder. Her walls are covered from head to toe with movie posters, action figure stickers and drawings from her kids. On top of that she has many science pictures to go along with her class. “I felt like without them the room is very bland. I also wanted to put some educational posters up as well. I am a fan of many different movies and the ones that I have up are really for nostalgia and all of the superheroes are peel off stickers from my kid’s bedrooms.” In my opinion, there will never be a teacher to deck out their classroom as well as Mrs. James.
The Purple Quill
The Purple Quill is published nine times per academic year by the students enrolled in the Journalism class at Elder High School. Content is determined by the staff and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Elder High School’s faculty, administration or student body. Signed editorials and columns reflect the views of the writer. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged and must be signed, although anonymity can be granted on a case by case basis. The staff reviews letters to the editor, advertising and guest commentaries and reserves the right to edit and refuse material. Reasons can include length, clarity, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process at Elder High School or violation of copyright laws.
“Give students the freedom of expression and soon everyone will want it.” Co-Editors in Chief: Henry Mazza ‘21, Gus Schlomer ‘21 Faculty Adviser Mr. Gary Rogers
Faculty Adviser Emeritus Mr. Edward Menkhaus ‘63
Features Editor Gus Middendorf ‘21
Opinion Editor Jack Sheridan ‘22
Graphics Editor Matthew Walter ‘21
Video Editor Adam Duwel ‘21
Staff Writers Brandon Eckstein ‘21 Phillip Hoffman ‘22 Joshua Huff ‘22 Jacob James ‘21 Kevin Long ‘21 Lukas Marlman ‘21 Mitchell Meyer ‘21 Seth Trischler ‘22 Brandon Vetter ‘21 Shawn Wyatt ‘22
Friday December 18, 2020
Opinion 3
Elder books power rankings Brandon Vetter ‘19 Staff Writer
No matter what grade you are in, students are forced to read books against their will at
some point during the school year. However, some of these books are much more enjoyable than others and are liked by many students. With these books, many students who hate reading actually enjoyed it for once. In this power ranking, I will rank and discuss some of the books read throughout the years at Elder.
6. Lord of the Flies
“Maybe ... there is a beast ... maybe it’s only us.” Coming in at number 6, we have Lord of the Flies written by William Golding. This novel tells an epic tale of young kids that get stranded on an island after their plane crashes. This book shows the progression of the kids and how they handle life without adults and supervision. It was very slow in the beginning and middle, but the climax is riveting and has you on the edge of the seat. Also, the symbolism is great, interesting, and unique compared to other books. World class teacher and book enthusiast Mr. Reiring says, “Lord of the Flies is good chaos. It’s good for sophomores particularly because it is where their minds are. You always have that little possibility that things get out of control. I love the chaotic elements, and you can’t forget the wonderful symbolism that is easy to figure out.”
5. To Kill a Mockingbird
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” One of my personal favorites, this novel written by Harper Lee recounts problems with racism in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It takes place in Alabama and follows the fictional Finch family; it is from the perspective of Scout Finch, whose father is the lawyer defending Tom Robinson, an African American on trial for rape. This novel is excellently written and has many subplots throughout the story, including the mysterious Boo Radley, that keep you interested throughout. It also teaches readers an important lesson about equality, courage, and judging others on how they look rather than who they actually are.
4. Of Mice and Men
“Tell me about the rabbits George.” Written by the great John Steinbeck, this is an excellent book that shows the true meaning of friendship. It follows the characters of George and Lennie who are farmers looking for work trying to accomplish their dream. They are quite the unlikely pair of pals, but they are funny and great together and make the book special. Mr. Reiring says that this book “tells a great story, and it is about friendship more than anything else. I think that is why it resonates with kids even though they can’t necessarily relate to what the characters are going through. The American dream… trying to find your dreams even with the struggle, that’s what it is all about.”
3. And Then There Were None
“In the midst of life, we are in death.” Written by the queen of mystery, Agatha Christie, it is hands down one of the greatest mystery novels I have ever read. Even after four years of reading it, I still remember it vividly because of how great it was. This book had you on your toes and guessing left and right because of the excellently written mystery. Many strangers are invited to an island and are picked off one by one leaving the survivors speculating one another as a killer. Also, it has a rememberable plot twist that you would never see coming. “the claustrophobia of the island, the inevitability of the consequences of being on the island really create that terrifying mood. Also, the way Agatha Christie was able to come up with her plan for all it how it all took place…brilliant.”
2. The Count of Monte Cristo
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words – Wait and Hope.” I do not even know where to start. This book was intimidating to me at first as a young freshman because it is 640 pages and is Mr. Alig’s pride and joy. This novel highlights the redemption of the main protagonist Edmond Dantès. When his life is perfectly coming together, Edmond is framed and wrongfully imprisoned, but he redeems himself and seeks revenge against his framers. Intricately written, this novel contains a great deal of subplots and characters that keep readers enthralled throughout. Legendary teacher and the biggest fan of this book, Mr. Alig says, “It is one of the best books read because of the action and showing of the promise of human redemption that Edmond by the end realizes that he went overboard with the power and attempts to make things right.”
1. The Great Gatsby
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” The green light…oh the green light. This American novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, also known as “Fitzy”, highlights the tale of Jay Gatsby and the Roaring Twenties. This novel, which is also Mr. Grimm’s favorite child, is one of my all-time favorites. Only 218 pages, this book packs in quite the story within every chapter. The book takes place in the rich parts of Long Island in the 1920’s known as East and West Egg; the point of view is from Nick Carraway, who is in the bond business, moves into this part of town next to the great Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is known for throwing extravagant parties that set the town ablaze; however, there is much more to this character than what meets the eye. This book teaches us the themes of the American Dream, love, and greed with a story like none other. Mr. Grimm, the greatest fan of Gatsby, said, “Not just every chapter, not just every sentence, every word is necessary. It’s perfect, what can you say about a book that has no flaws, other than the characters and their flaws.”
Real or fake Xmas trees? Seth Trischler ‘22 Staff Writer
Arguably one of the biggest sym-
bols of Christmas is the Christmas tree. But which type of tree is where the conundrum begins. There are two types of trees families get: real and fake. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I will be going over both and telling you which one you should buy. Real trees are good for the environment and help improve air quality. A study published in 2007 by scientists from Japan revealed that the smell of pine needles can battle anxiety, depression and stress – which are all heightened during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season via farmflavor. com. Most families get live trees as a tradition to bond as a family during the holidays, too. My family has never done this, but I have heard of some. There are many downsides to real trees as well. One of the main reasons my family does not get a real tree is how messy they are. My mom loves the house to be clean and a real tree does not fit that agenda. Another reason people do not get real trees is the sap. Just like branches and pines, sap gets everywhere. One last downside to real trees is that there can be bugs in them. According to goodhousekeeping.com, “Not every single tree on the lot is full of bugs, but there’s still a chance that up to 25,000 bugs are living in a single Christmas tree.” I never knew this until I looked it up and now, I do not think I ever will get one now. I can not deal with one fly in the house yet alone 25,000 bugs. Fake trees are known to be easy and people rip on them because they do not represent the Christmas spirit. I have grown up with a fake tree my entire life and have not noticed any difference. It is easier to put on lights, ornaments, and toppers. They also last upwards of ten years. The only issue with them is that they are bad for the environment and they cannot be recycled. One last bad thing about them is you cannot go out with your family like the Griswald’s and get yourself the perfect tree. At the end of the day it is your choice so I am not going to force you to pick one, but I will strongly encourage you to get a fake tree. Yes, they are bad for the environment, but our world is already polluted enough, what is one artificial tree going to do? I will be sporting a fake tree this year if you did not already know. Let me know in the halls what your family is rocking and if its not a fake tree, I will gladly have a debate with you.
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Friday December 18, 2020
Faculty Features
Elder welcomes new face to Religion and room 311 Jack Sheridan ‘22 Opinion Editor
There is a new teacher in Room 311.
Mrs. Colleen Daubenmerkl is the Religion Department’s newest member, teaching junior and senior year religion classes, including: Catholic Morality, World Religions, etc. Although Mrs. Daubenmerkl teaches juniors, I have not had the opportunity to take one of her classes yet (I am currently taking two electives this semester, and I will be taking two religions next semester), so I was an unfamiliar face when I stepped into her classroom and requested an interview. Nevertheless, she was glad to answer some of my questions. Since I do not know much about Mrs. Daubenmerkl, I first asked her about her teaching career before she came to Elder. “This is my twentieth year teaching in Catholic schools. I did most of my teaching in Finneytown; I taught middle school English. Then, I went to St. Dominic, and I taught middle school there. The previous two years, I was at Seton,” she answered.
I really enjoy teaching juniors and seniors. I think that there’s a lot of respect and I think that there’s good character, but yet everybody still has a good time, and I like that I can be really sarcastic. -Mrs. Colleen Daubenmerkl
Because this is Mrs. Daubenmerkl’s first year at Elder, I thought it would be appropriate to see what her first impressions of the school were. “Lots of purple, lots of enthusiasm, and a lot of spirit; there’s a lot of heart here. Even though you hear about the pep rallies and all those kinds of school spirit, even though we can’t necessarily have that and I don’t get to see it, it’s still in the hallways, I see everybody pumping each other up on a regular basis; I think it’s still definitely here,” she said. I then asked Mrs. Daubenmerkl what her favorite aspects of Elder have been so far. “I really enjoy teaching juniors and seniors, I think that there’s a lot of respect and I think that there’s good character, but yet everybody still has a good time, and I like that I can be really sarcastic. I am naturally sarcastic, so I think that that helps with having an all-male gender classroom.” My final question for Mrs. Daubenmerkl was what it has been like this year with having to teach students both in the classroom and remotely. “I really don’t think that it’s been that big of an issue. I always feel bad for those who are at home because they’re not getting the full experience of having that face-to-face; I might reference something on the wall or on the board, and they can’t always see everything that everybody else is seeing. I don’t have a problem with it, but I think it’s harder for them,” Mrs. Daubenmerkl said. Mrs. Daubenmerkl then explained to me that while it is not too big of an issue to have virtual-learners, the biggest challenge for her is not being able to go
Mrs. Colleen Daubenmerkl at stands saterically at her desk in room 311.
and meet more of the faculty and staff at Elder, due to COVID-19 restrictions. “I kind of miss any of the social gatherings and things like that that staff used to have,
just to get to know people, I think that’s been the hardest thing,” she explained.
Friday December 18, 2020
Faculty Features 5
Eisele on modern politics
Matthew Walter ‘21 Graphics Editor
As America rapidly approaches the
inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden, Jr., there is still a huge amount of uncertainty and political upheaval. A president who refuses to concede, runoff elections that will determine the Senate, and the COVID-19 pandemic are still major issues for our nation. In this time where one cannot be sure of anything politically, I decided to consult one of Elder’s leading political experts: Mr. Matthew Eisele. The junior history teacher first addressed much of the uncertainty about the presidential election. “Technically,” he said, the election is not over “until it’s certified in the state legislatures and the United States Congress.” However, he added, “Assuming the electors and governors uphold their constitutional duty, then yes, it’s over.” If the presidential election is essentially over, then why does the president seem intent on proving it isn’t? Mr. Eisele speculated that it is to put some doubt into his base: “Essentially, delegitimizing Joe Biden’s presidency in a close election.” He also theorized that “some of it’s to impact the Senate runoff races in Georgia;” although, that could easily backfire. Finally, he said that it is “definitely for media attention.” With all the division created by the outcome of the presidential election, many people are worried about the upcoming transition of powers. Mr. Eisele was quick to dispel most worry: “There’s not gonna be some crazy civil war.” However, he
warned that “there’s serious potential” for smaller “backlash, locally amongst [groups like] the proud boys and BLM.” Even though the transition of powers may not hurt us, Mr. Eisele was concerned that the delaying of the transition of power “has made it more difficult for the next administration.” Basically, the current president’s refusal to concede could lead to a rocky first couple of months for Joe Biden. If this is true, one of the issues that could be difficult for President Biden could be dealing with the current pandemic. Mr. Eisele explained, “George W. Bush and Obama had pandemic response infrastructure set, with minimal defunding. Trump totally defunded it.” This left our nation totally unprepared to deal with the coronavirus. If Biden has a slow start, he may not be able to quickly reestablish this. Another hardship Biden may face could be the distribution of vaccines. “Nothing’s ever been done like this in
the history of the world,” said Mr. Eisele. He also said that the distribution of the vaccines, specifically the Pfizer vaccine which requires cold storing temperatures, could be difficult in poorer and more rural areas. Yet another area of American culture that the coronavirus has made worse, American politics during the past two presidential election periods have become more and more polarized, that is extremely two-sided. Basically, if modern politics were described by Anakin Skywalker, he would say, “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy.” Mr. Eisele described today’s polarizing political climate as “bothersome” and “our own fault.” “The political climate we have today,” Mr. Eisele said, “is because people don’t research the issues independently… and are lacking in their knowledge of US history.” “[Americans] need to understand that what they’re hearing are opinions.” He explained that during the Reagan presidency, a piece of legislation called the fairness doctrine was eliminated, which gradually allowed FOX and CNN to start airing opinions masquerading as facts. Philosopher Joseph de Maistre said, “Every nation gets the government it deserves,” and when Americans are too lazy to research before they vote, then the consequences can be dire. Mr. Matthew Eisele says today’s political climate is: “If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy; it’s bothersome and it’s American’s own fault.
Mr. Eisele believes a way we could help slow or stop this divisiveness is by being informed. “Don’t get your information from any sources that have commercial ads, because they’re pandering…to corporate America or political party,” he said. Why do we rarely see news about the slave labor that makes our shoes and our phones? Because those companies are paying so-called news sources to keep their mouths shut. Instead, he encouraged us to “read independent news journalists or academic journals, information sources outside the mainstream. Anybody can have an opinion, but that opinion can be uninformed,” he said, and looking deeper into our news can help us make informed opinions. There is still hope for America, though. “It’s great that young people are getting involved,” Mr. Eisele said. The political involvement of young people led to the historic increase in voter turnout this year. “The more they get involved and the more they’re practicing their rights as an American, the more hope I have for the future of our country.” Mr. Eisele also said that he was “particularly happy” about “the dedication of voters who waited in line for hours just to vote.” Finally, in a fun bit of imagination, I asked Mr. Eisele what he would have done differently if he was president. “I would have kept the [pandemic] response team, embraced science, and been honest with the American people from the get-go, not try to distract them with conspiracy theories or target China,” he said. Although an Eisele presidency may be unlikely, his knowledge, insight, and determination to help people become informed can help lead to a better America.
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Faculty Features
Friday December 18, 2020
A feeble attempt at a few seasonal gag gifts Henry Mazza ’21 and Lukas Marlman ‘21 Co-Editor in chief and Staff writer Before we leave on break, a few of us have come to realize that our teachers have done a lot for us, and it finally time to give back. Teaching during Covid has teachers on their toes. At first everything was flipped on its head, now they are adapting to the changing environment quickly. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, so it is time to give back, hypothetically at least. Here is a list of gifts we give to you in the spirit of our deep appreciation.
Mr. Reiring – a new conch shell Mr. Alig – A big mac Mrs. James – Unlimited Pyrex products
Mr. Rogers – just for men darkening shampoo
Mr. Flaherty – 2 bricksheets
Mr. Weinheimer – scented candles
Nurse Boles – “uh, uh – ice”
Mr. Tierney – another cup of coffee
Mr. Quatman – Bosley Hair restoration
Mr. Horton – Newton’s cradle
Mr. Wahlert – Joe Burrow to sign his forehead
Mr. Groszek – a graphing calculator Mr. Eisele – Democracy Now mural Mr. Grimm – Baby care package Mr. Bell – Zen meditation pillow Mr. Nohle – More rosaries Mr. Bengel – A Simpsons character of himself
Coach Merkel – Campbell’s chunky soup Mr. Dickman – Superhero Bible Mr. Horvath – TV’s in the tech office Coach James – Bengals tickets
Friday December 18, 2020
Student Features 7
The man behind @ehsports and Elder Basketball Twitter; Who is Gus Schlomer? Sug Blomer ‘21 Contributing Writer
The only way you haven’t seen some of
Gus Schlomer’s work on twitter is if you have been living under a rock, completely missed the football season and are heading into hibernation and will miss the basketball season, too. Senior Gus Schlomer is relatively new on the graphic design scene and has excelled exceptionally in a very short time. “I am self-taught,” said Schlomer. For the last few months, Gus has been one of the various moderators of the Elder sports twitter account as well as recently picking up the job to be the lead graphic designer and moderator of the Elder Basketball twitter. “Being self-taught in a relatively hard program (Photoshop) has brought a lot of joy, excitement, and sometimes some disappointment while doing my job. I have created some seriously cool stuff and other things that I made for the football season just straight up sucked,”
Pre-game graphic featuring Drew Busam.
said Schlomer on his development over the past few months. During the football season, Schlomer focused solely quarterly scores and as he got more comfortable with the position, he started branching out, creating bigger projects.
“I was trying to think on how I could take my previous graphics and take them to the next level.” “When Gus first started, I was thinking to myself, what is he bringing to the table. But when the playoffs started, and the basketball season kicked in it was like a whole new person was running the account. The quality of the graphics enhanced, and you could tell there was an effort being made to create good content to grow the athletic department,” said senior Adam Duwel. Gus has been planning for the basketball season right after the final whistle at St. X after the football season concluded. “I was trying to think on how I could take my previous graphics and take them to the next level.” After a one and a half month planning period, Gus had a basketball media day that included individual pictures of the players and even adding a personal touch by adding
An example of a twitter graphic produced by gus Schlomer to promote an upcoming basketball game. Would you be interested in helping Gus and learning how to take over the @ehsports twitter after he graduates?
the player’s signatures into the graphics beside their picture. I asked Schlomer about how he got the role in the first place. “I got the job from Coach Bengel at the beginning of the school year. I asked who was running it the previous years and he said usually it was he or Coach Espy that did it. I took the opportunity and ran with it. Now I have the basketball gig and I hope to have the same with baseball.” Although he called the football season a success on the media side, not all of it was sunshine and roses. Schlomer said that after the first stretch of home games, he was heading into away stadiums like Walnut Hills and Indianapolis Cathedral to do his job and there was no Wi-Fi. In lieu of no Wi-Fi, Schlomer started his digital photography career, taking photos of the team on the sidelines and keeping Elder nation alert from his phone. “Once
we got to Indy, I looked at this washed-up stadium that looked straight out of “Rudy” and I knew darn well that there wasn’t WiFi. It was honestly a big kick in the ****. I just sat on a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride and now I can’t even do my job? I had to improvise and from then on I became a photographer while improving my graphics game, using my own photos.” Heading into the basketball season, Schlomer expects to be at the top of his game. “Senioritis kicked in a long time ago, I will be majoring in Sports Media at West Virginia University and I need these valuable skills for my dream job.” Schlomer has decided to drop all academics after the first semester and completely focus on Adobe Photoshop and nothing else. He said as much as he loves Coach Roush’s Pre-Calc class he needs to straighten out his priorities and solely focus on his dream. Graphic Design.
8
Sports
Inside Elder basketball ‘20-‘21 Gus Schlomer ‘21 Co-Editor in Chief
our lockdown defensive abilities,” said JT Miller. This Elder offense is one hundred percent speed. Being one of the few to watch this year’s squad in person, I can say without a doubt this team is a GCL title contender. Miller said, last season was tough but some good did come out of it because it was a learning experience. The Panthers fell short against Turpin by two in the playoffs last season and did not have the opportunity to play at UD or the Cintas Center. “We are going to put last season behind us and focus on us and what is to come. We were able to learn from last year’s seniors and the mistakes made as a whole to lead us to where we are now, 2-0.” Miller says the team’s main goal is to make a run at state. The Panthers fell short last post season after a regular season campaign that ended with the team going 13-9 with a measly two GCL wins and a loss to Oak Hills. “This year we want to make a run and prove everyone wrong.” As a senior, Miller is taking a leadership position as a veteran guy. He is being a leader by focusing on more than just one aspect of his game. “I have been hitting the boards, getting assists, and playing lockdown defense to help spark some energy from the guys around me.” Senior Scotty Nieman also has high hopes this season and this great team. “I feel good about our team, the culture, and we should be really fun to watch than the previous seasons. We are a quick style team that can shoot really well.” Nieman, a vet has seen talent come through the Elder basketball machine and he has seen some major improvement from a few juniors and Mikey Kirch in particular. Nieman said Kirch has been playing some very valuable minutes for the team already in the two games they have played this
At the time of writing (12.1.20) Elder
Basketball is 2-0 with wins against Aiken and Beavercreek by large margins. From a fan perspective as most students have, last season did not go as planned and not how Scotty Nieman and JT Miller planned either. It’s time to tear that page out of their book and start a new chapter in their final season with Elder Basketball. “We’re off to a really strong start and we are surprising a lot of people by how much we are scoring. Our first two games, we have scored 77 and 90 because of this fast-paced style we are trying out this season. Our fast-paced offense should be something to look forward to because our games are never going to get boring if we can keep up our high scoring offense and
Playmaking guard Sean Keller is only a junior.
Friday December 18, 2020
Senior David Larkins will be looking to lead the Panthers in the middle. (Shown here in pre-pandemic playoff action from 2020 against Anderson. Photo courtesy of ehsports.com)
season. He plays smart whether it be to shoot or make a nice pass to put the team up. He has stepped up for us and played a big role. Playing a big role is nothing new to Nieman, but this season more than any other season is about playing “team ball” and playing as a collective unit. “As seniors, we want everyone to know we are going to give everything we have when you see us play or play against us. We want to accomplish what only three Elder teams have ever done and hang the banner.” (‘73, ‘74, ‘93) With the big picture goal in mind, one thing remains the same, win GCL. From what I have seen on the bench from both games, if the little mistakes are corrected this team beats a powerful Moeller team. “Win the darn thing. That is the goal. Win
GCL, do not lose a home game at The Pit, and win the darn thing. I do my best to be a leader by encouraging my teammates at practice and being positive when things are not going the right way in games or in tough situations in general.” The Panthers have two more away games at Summit Country Day (Dec. 12) and at Lakota West (Dec. 19) before heading home to The Pit on December 22nd against Roger Bacon for the home opener. Elder is currently 2-0 in all competition. [12-1-2020]
Presstime update:
Elder moves to 4-0 to begin the season after defeating Sycamore, 88-45 on December 5 and Summit Country Day, 62-33 on December 12.
Elder Basketball begins unique season in front of no fans Adam W. Duwel ‘21 Video Editor
ing from the fans because, there were no fans. When the varsity game started warmups, it was odd. The music was blaring but nothing else was happening. No fans going through the entrance of the gym. No students starting to cheer. None of that. From my perspective it was a bunch of guys in an open gym. The players
The start of quite possibly the most
able to get in. Most schools Elder is slated to play will admit two fans per player. That makes a small difference to a virtually empty gym each time the Panthers take the floor. The Panthers won 87-59 over Aiken in a game where not a single fan entered the gates to watch. This year won’t be normal, but at least there will be a season.
The scene at Elder’s season opener against Aiken was more like a practice than a game as there were no fans in attendance due to the pandemic. photo by Adam Duwel ‘21
unique basketball season for Elder started with no fans in attendance. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and Cincinnati Public School restrictions, Elder’s first game of the season was held with no fans in the gym. I was lucky enough to be one of the few people that weren’t players and coaches allowed into Aiken High School. I wasn’t sure just how the games would be played and how it would sound and feel, because fans bring a lot of energy into each and every game. I was there for the Freshman game first. Most of the freshman games I have attended have parents and a few students in attendance. During the freshman game I remember during a timeout, Elder Freshman Coach, Coach Bengel saying, “No one is here! Be louder and communicate with your teammates.” This is just one of the examples of what it felt like playing with no one being there in person. With no fans allowed in, we heard the inner workings of coaching and playing basketball. You could hear everything that was said. Most of it was just really to set up the offense. Sometimes you could hear stuff that you know the coaches didn’t want the other team to hear. With no fans there wasn’t a lot of loud chatter from the stands that everyone is used to when there is a bad call. This time when there was a bad call or a controversial call the bench that didn’t agree with the call would be loud. That was the only way to tell. No scream-
would give me these weird looks just in shock and disbelief that noone was there to watch. Throughout the game, a big play would happen and there would be very little noise reacting to the play. Just reactions from the bench of the team that made the play. This is the way it is going to be for the rest of the season. Few fans will be
Sports 9
Winter sports teams hope for full season this year Phillip Hoffman ‘22 Staff Writer
With fall playoffs coming to an end, we
can’t wait for winter sports. As football, soccer, cross country, and golf wrap up their season, they make room for hockey, bowling, basketball, wrestling, and swimming. Although sports for the Panthers have not been an issue yet, the winter months are still up in the air on whether or not they will proceed. As we all know, the winter sports were cut short last year due to the unfortunate timing of the pandemic. Last year was a letdown to many and they look forward to making up lost time this season. Elder had already finished up the basketball season, but that does not go for the other sports. There were four wrestlers for Elder that qualified for state but never had the chance to wrestle in Columbus. Junior Drew Magness, one of the qualifiers, said, “As of right now, we are aware that a couple of our more competitive tournaments will still be on this year just in a modified form.” Due to Covid there will be much smaller tournaments. “We have also found out the State Dual tournament is trying to be held in a modified form with fewer teams, based off results from last year.”
With key wrestlers “PJ Murphy (freshman), Bartley Thomas (junior), Kody Kaimann (senior), and Jack Tucker (senior)” Elder will again be a team to be reckoned with. Another sport with many changes is going to be Hockey. For the first time in many years, there could only be one team total, varsity. With a slightly lower attendance with sign-ups, there might not be a freshman team. Junior Chuck the puck James said, “Well, we definitely have lost a lot of senior leadership and we got a lot of new guys coming up. Our captains Johnny Lenhardt, Gabe Neidhard, and myself are excited about this season and playing with some new guys.” “Our defense is looking strong and our offense is a wild card if I’ve ever seen one.” No matter what happens this season, be looking out for the Ice Panthers! Swimming and Bowling both will be starting soon. With having two students bowl a perfect game last year, one on J.V. and one on varsity, their will be a strong team to count on there. Last, but not least, is basketball. There has been endless talk of how the team will be this year. The varsity team is primarily made up of juniors and seniors. The current junior class went 20-0 as freshman, and that same year the J.V. team only lost one game to a buzzer beater against St. X! With these stats and the last two years of practice, the Varsity basketball team should be nothing less than a powerhouse in the upcoming season.
Wrestling coaches shout encouragement during 2020 district match. (photo courtesy of TonyCatphotos.com)
Second floor of PFC getting plenty of use in first months Seth Trischler ‘22 Staff Writer
There have been plenty of renovations
throughout Elder this year. One has been the second floor of the Panther Fitness Center. It has been slowly but surely getting renovated for the past year. It has finally been finished and put to use right away. If you have not already known, wrestling as begun using the second floor so I decided to ask some people some questions. First, I decided to talk to Mr. Suer who coaches wrestling and is a teacher here at Elder. I asked him why wrestling
the nice benefits of practicing in the second Floor PFC is that we are simply out of the way. The wrestling gym, is shared by a lot of groups and used for a lot of events; pep rallies, mass, luncheons, etc. When the gym was needed during wrestling season, we would have to waste practice time untapping mats, rolling them up, moving them, and then setting everything back up the following practice. With us being in the PFC, we have not had to move mats at all, other than to set up for competitions.” I can understand that being somewhat of an athlete myself. Getting in and out of practice on time makes everybody happy. photo by Seth Trischler ‘22
Friday December 18, 2020
The second floor of the PFC allows the wrestling team to practice without having to take down and set-up chairs from the temporary lunchroom that has been set-up in the gym.
has started using the second floor of the PFC and he said, “The wrestling gym is currently a lunchroom due to COVID-19 and we needed a place to practice. We plan to use the gym for home events, but still have to find a home for all the desks.” I had been wondering what would happen to wrestling since the desks have been in the gym. It might not sound like an improvement, but when you go into the PFC and walk up those stairs you will understand why wrestling moved in with ease. Second, I asked head coach, Mr. Roush, who also is a math teacher here at Elder a couple questions. I asked him what advantages does using the PFC second floor bring? He responded, “One of
I finally decided to ask a wrestler their opinion of the second floor. I decided to go with stud junior Brent Stahl and ask him what his thoughts were on using the PFC now for wrestling. He said, “I like being in the upper part of the fitness center because it is brand new and different. Although I liked practicing in the wrestling/volleyball gym, it gets pretty old practicing in the same place for the last two years, so I’m glad I get to be in a new and fresh atmosphere to practice every day.” Thus, the second floor of the PFC is yet another addition to Elder that will change the lives of many and help prepare men of Elder for years to come.
Weekend trip to Atlanta previews future opportunities Adam W. Duwel ’21 Video Editor
I think everyone knows just how much
video and broadcasting I do here at Elder. I don’t only broadcast events for Elder, but I have a job broadcasting events all around the tri state for a company called NOW Broadcasting Live. I have been working for them for about two years now. Early on, it was only the rare occasion that I would be called to do anything for them. They were a small company at the time, but now, it’s different. Thanks to Covid-19 restrictions for much of this year, the attendance capacity at events have been greatly reduced or no crowd allowed at all in some cases. Business has taken off this year because everyone wants to watch an event take place even when they cannot attend in person. In May and June, we did a couple of local high school graduation ceremonies. Over the summer, we live streamed a concert series in downtown Lawrenceburg. During all of this, we were slowly building a reputation of being a great streaming partner to live stream events for your business. When the weather started to get cooler and high school sports were starting up. The schools came calling for us to live stream their events. This was our biggest decision as a company. We started streaming local high school sporting events for
various high schools. I was unable to do a lot of football games because I was busy streaming Elder games. But I was still responsible for streaming most of the non-football events for the schools that we had a partnership with. This fall season allowed us to show what we could do in the streaming industry around the tristate. Slowly but surely, we started getting bigger day-long gigs around the area for various companies. Now why was I in Atlanta for a day a couple of weekends ago? We were contacted by NASA (National Auto Sport Association), not the space agency. They want us to broadcast all their events around the country next year. The crew flew down to Atlanta to check out what we were getting into with this potential job venture. The day started with a team meeting at 3:30am to lay out our plan for the day and then it was off to the airport to fly down to Atlanta to meet with our contact within NASA. Arriving in Atlanta, we hopped in our rental van and made our way down to Road Atlanta, the speedway where the event was taking place. Road Atlanta is a racecourse that has been used by NASCAR and is currently owned and operated by NASCAR. Pulling into the track we were all shocked by the enormous size of the facility. To say the least we weren’t expecting the 2.5 mile race course that was in front
Senior Adam Duwel on the track at Road Atlanta where he made be spending a lot of time in the near future streaming races for his side hustle at NOW Broadcasting.
of us. During the lunch break, we took our car around the track and were amazed by the way the track flowed. From a logistical stand point this will be a very challenging from a broadcast perspective but very possible with the infrastructure that is in place at most of the race courses. What is next in this massive project? We have been talking with many television stations who will be broadcasting our events on their stations. We also need to
raise a lot of funding through ad revenue. By the end of January, we will know if we are going to be doing this job. This will become a full-time job for me for the summer and into the winter. I will be on the road for most of next year. I am very excited about what this venture has for us and will continue to keep all the loyal readers of The Quill up to date on all my future plans as my senior year reaches halftime and moves ahead.
10
Features
Friday December 18, 2020
Elder impatiently awaits the return of ENN Matthew Walter ‘21 Graphics Editor
As part of the recent construction on the Schaeper Center, the ENN studio
was completely redesigned. Yet, ENN did not return when the rest of the Schaeper Center reopened. As ENN’s prolonged hibernation continues, is something sinister going on behind the scenes? Are the students of Elder growing restless for video announcements? Armed with more questions than answers, I intended to find out. I first sought the reason to the delay. Senior cameraman Adam Duwel offered some insight: “It’s all new equipment. It’s a whole new system, whole new room.” He said that this means it will take “a whole lot of time to learn.” He also said that if you do something incorrectly, “[Mr. Fuell] might punch you.” Duwel helped shed quite a bit of insight on ENN’s disappearance. According to Mr. Duwel, ENN hasn’t returned due to bumbling incompetence. Despite having months to prepare, the students behind the camera still have no idea what they’re doing. This makes sense. According to insider Phil Hoffman, “[Duwel’s] a very joking person in front of and behind the camera. He likes to goof off.” Instead of bringing the news to the Elder community, Duwel would prefer to just mess around, delaying the news in the process. Even if Duwel decides to take this seriously, Hoffman said that “finding new ideas to actually do” on the air could be pretty difficult. If Duwel ever finally learns the new equipment, is there even an audience for ENN this year? To answer this question, I asked somebody from each grade. The poor freshmen this year have never experienced ENN; however, freshman Mitch McLaughlin said that the idea of ENN “would be cool” and “something different.” Sophomore Tommy Holtmeier shared the enthusiasm: “I was planning on joining it.” The incompetence put on display by Adam Duwel probably scared him away, though. Junior and former ENN teleprompter Payten Rosiello said, “I am excit-
The re-styled anchor desk anxiously sits waiting for the return of its Friday morning inhabitants and a lonely sign cries out to be lit again. (photos by Matthew Walter ‘21)
ed for ENN to return.” Something he was not excited for, however, is the return of Local Weikel. ENN has been gone for so long that he said he couldn’t remember any segments he actually enjoyed. Finally and most importantly, senior Matthew Telscher said, “ENN could be better. I’m skeptical of its return.” Unlike Rosiello he said, “Local Weikel is my favorite.” Trey J’s weather report was far and away his least favorite part. Personally, I would not consider myself the biggest ENN fan. In my opinion, Elder is better off without ENN. Most of those chumps have terrible screen presence, anyways. However, the rest of Elder does not seem to feel the same way. The people have spoken. They want some video announcements. So Duwel, if you’re reading this, the students are hungry for some more ENN. Think of the children.
Friday December 18, 2020
Features 11
Elder’s Schaeper Center: A brief history
Why Not? teams up with Salvation Army to spread cheer
Kevin Long ‘21 Staff Writer
Mitchell Meyer ‘21 Staff Writer
The Schaeper Center has recently un-
dergone some new renovations making significant upgrades to the interior. While it is the most recent, this is not the first time in recent history that the Schaeper Center has changed. The land that both Elder and the Schaeper Center stand on was originally owned by the Sisters of Charity. In 1882, the Council of the Community decided that they would sell off the land to the city. The sale was completed June 2nd, 1883. However, the land which houses our Schaeper Center still had a few hands to pass through before it would eventually be purchased by Elder. Between 1930 and 1932, the land was owned by former sausage shop owner and Latvian immigrant, Abraham Shuller. At the location, Shuller operated Peter Pan
the closing of the Albers, the building became part of a pharmacy chain known at the time as Hook Drugs. In 1985, Hook Drugs was acquired by the Kroger Co.’s SupeRX. Kroger later spun SupeRX off into their own company who would later be acquired by Revco. Revco was the last owner of the building before they eventu-
Principal Otten outside the building in 1998.
ally were purchased by CVS and closed down the location. In 1998, after Revco vacated the location, Elder purchased the 22,000 square foot building and 2.5-acre lot for $600,000. Principal at the time, Mr. Tom Otten said, “This is a huge opportunity for Elder. It’s the first opportunity we’ve had to expand the campus in my memory, and I’ve been here 33 years.”
Albers grocery store on site from 1933-1974.
Miniature Golf Course, or as it was known formally, Abraham Shuller & Sons Golf Course. Unfortunately, this course was short lived as there are no records of its operation after 1933. Albers was a new grocery chain started as a reentry into the grocery business by former head of Kroger Grocery and Baking Company, William H. Albers, as well as a few other former executives. Price Hill was selected as the location for one of the inaugural stores and the former miniature golf course was chosen as the
Many remember the SuperX Drugs facade.
perfect site. The store first opened on November 1st, 1933. The store had a strong 41-year run before the company closed all of its Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky stores in 1974. Although I have been unable to confirm this, I believe that sometime after
The original Schaeper housed state-of-the-artcomputer labs in several of the rooms and remains the tech center of the school today.
They decided to renovate it and turn it into the multimedia hub we know it as today. The center was dedicated and named for Fr. Jerome A. Schaeper, the late Elder principal. The $3.2 million renovation project opened its doors for the first time on April 19th, 2001. After 19 years serving the student body at Elder, the Schaeper Center underwent a new series of renovations and upgrades. This most recent set of upgrades completely re-imagined the interior of the building, bringing it up to match the growing digital needs of the students and teachers. A professional broadcast studio was added, as well as a completely renovated library and maker space. With these updates the Schaper center is now prepared to serve the next generation of Elder students.
One of the things I find the most pride
in being a part of is the Why Not? service group. It is lead by an incredible group of Elder students, and it brings me so much joy that so many people want to be a part of the service. One of their most recent events has been ringing the bells for the Salvation Army down at the Hobby Lobby on Glencrossing. I asked two of Why Not?’s leaders, Jacob Stiens and Will Stautberg about this event, here’s what they said: “Mr. Warren emailed me, I said sure,” Will Stautberg said. “The name of the guy that reached out to Elder was Josh Morales. He’s new to the area and was looking for a service group comprised of high school students similar to what he had in northern Ohio for the Salvation Army. He said he wanted us because people are more likely to donate if they see high schoolers out there rather than a grown adult.” Stiens said, “Will brought this to us as an opportunity and I thought it was Yours truly with Mr. Mauer outside the awesome. Will’s been great when it comes Glencrossing Hobby Lobby. to finding stuff to do during the panlike idiots, but we put so many smiles on demic and this has been one of the more other people’s faces. Like Jacob said, it’s Covid-friendly events. It is also a weekly a fantastic feeling to know you are able to deal and has been very helpful in getting spread Christmas cheer to the members of as many of our members involved as we your community. can. We will have several more events After we were done, seniors Kevin available in the New Year, but I think this Schenkel and Brandon Vetter took the is one that has helped us stay active during reigns at the kettle. I asked Kevin how it the pandemic. As always, it’s a fantastic went for him, “When standing in front of feeling when you know you are able to Hobby Lobby volunteering for The Salvahelp spread Christmas cheer to members tion Army, it was truly something special. of your community who may not have When I was little, I always saw experienced that cheer without our help.” the volunteers and wondered I think the thing that why they stood outside in the ties these two quotes freezing cold. I now see why together is the spreading they do it, every person that of holiday cheer from walks in and out the store young people. Will talked looks and smiles at you about how people are more whether they donate monlikely to donate to high ey or not. This shows the school students, and from appreciation the commumy experience, I completely nity has for the Salvation agree. I volunteered the SatArmy; what they do and urday after Thanksgiving with stand for.” my friend and fellow senior Without a doubt, Andrew Mueller, and we got an Why Not? Service incredible amount of donations. e th group brings joy to so ans We brought a Bluetooth speaker, etter m V n o d many people in the Bran played some music, and danced, d bell. n a le community, being open to any tt ke leading to us getting many comservice opportunity, showing what it truly pliments and many donations. The fan means to live out the way of the favorite was our choreographed dancing Elder Man. for the song, “Feliz Navidad.” We spread holiday cheer the best way we could, helping a good cause. We may have looked
12
“Millerrrrrrrrr” Henry Mazza ‘21 Co-Editor in Chief Who is JT Miller? Who is this “Jah” and supposed baller? Many do not know JT very well, but you can recognize him easily as you watch him analyze situations like an Algebra II god. Walking around the halls, though, he is known for rocking the gator. When asked why he sticks to the gator, he said that he likes to feel like a cowboy. As a young child, JT took many trips out west with his Jude-rooted family. He learned the ways of living simple and not needing much to keep a clear head. He brought that back to the west side and it’s contagious. Many wear gators, but not many wear it like a true a cowboy. Even though JT loves the simple life, he is also a soon to be a math major. Shocking, but he was actually the number one student last year in Mr. Groszek’s Algebra II class. He steamrolled every test and many wondered how he did it. During quarantine he was a wizard with how fast he got the homework done. In the mornings, I would call to ask for help on a couple problems and he was already done with the assignment. Never underestimate the logic of JT. Now as a senior, JT is a leader in the classroom and an athlete on the court. In his fourth year, he is playing with some of Elder’s finest basketball players including Michael Keehan, Sean Keller, player of the week nominee Andrew Harp and Drew Busam. He has many loyal teammates but one great one in particular is Busam. JT wanted to say something good about him, but volunteered that “just the stench of him was stronger than his jumper.”
Friday December 18, 2020
Student Features
JT Miller in playoff action last year against Anderson. (photo courtesy of ehsports.com)
As you see in the Joker colorway of his Air Max 97’s, JT is indeed a joker. For years he has been infamous for pulling the rug out from underneath the most unsuspecting people. Pranking was never born nor has died in him, but something he has lived with. While his pranks were developing, his go to move was to set an alarm for a class where it would be unfortunate to get you caught with your phone, for example in chemistry or a math class of some sort. But as he matured, the more sinister the pranks became. Now the plan of attack is using an app to create a false number and posing as an authority figure to hold the strings on people. I hate to expose the secrets of this joker, but this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object. In the classroom, because of the dedication to his
craft, the teachers hold him in high esteem, especially Mr. Weinheimer. Because of his unfading love for poetry, Mr. Weinheimer pays him back. I have overheard them talking about separate poems that have not been presented in class yet and their favorite Native American stories. To be honest, most of the students, including me, are tired of him having different “ins” with teachers. I guess the best relationship is between him and Mr. Eisele. The origins of “Millerrrr” came from the woke lips of our democratic leader. The word itself was so heavy that is has stuck till now and will always have its place among classic nicknames in the halls of Elder. Don’t let JT have too much time to himself because he can grow a pretty solid beard and ‘stache. Not many can do this but those who are given the gift of gruff, grow the gruff. He has been shot at many times by teachers to clean up “the face”. He has listened, but this happens to be the perfect time to get away with something like that. A measly mask keeps the growth undercover, and what can a teacher say if they can’t see through the mask? Time off for the man means time on for the beard. Miller is a dynamic student athlete who has a hunger for the higher things. In basketball and working in the classroom, he has keen senses for what is good for him and the group around him. He is a smart dude who likes pulling the occasional leg, so watch out for the green numbers showing up. JT can play on and off the court and underestimating him puts you in a box of ignorance. Make no mistake, he knows “we in the time of our lives…”
Friday December 18, 2020
Arts & Entertainment 13
Opinion: ELDER
Favorite Xmas movies Mitch Meyer’21 Staff Writer
Christmas is right around the corner,
boys, it’s about time you start watching Christmas movies. We know you’re probably not studying for exams, so here’s the top-notch movies you can watch in place of that.
A Christmas Story – Senior Michael Olthaus
“Definitely, A Christmas Story. I have always watched it with my dad, and it’s kind of become a tradition. No cap,” is what young Olthaus said about his favorite Christmas movie. If you haven’t seen this, you’re truly missing out. My family is one of those families that leaves this movie on the entirety of Christmas. After playing some new video games I got or something, I come up to the living room, and I know it’s on. Like Elf, this movie has so many quotable moments, whether it be the Santa scene or the Red Rider BB gun. This movie is a Christmas Day classic.
Elf - Sophomore Jake Langdon
Future PGA golfer Jake Langdon threw out this Christmas classic into the mix. He was short and to the point about it. “Elf, because it doesn’t matter how many times I watch it, it’s still funny.” He’s right. Man, I could quote so many lines from this movie, whether it be “SANTAAAAAAAA, I know him” or “You smell like beef and cheese, you don’t smell like Santa”, it just doesn’t leave my mind. That is what makes this movie so great, it’s got so many hilarious and memorable moments. Will Ferrell’s portrayal of Buddy the Elf was perfection, and a role that fit his personality so well. All in all, Elf is a Christmas classic with a positive message, fun for the whole family.
Christmas Vacation Freshman Sam Jones and Junior Joey Bianco (kinda)
The Our Lady of Victory legend Sam Jones, felt very strongly about Christmas Vacation. “Although it may not be for the
kids, Christmas Vacation is hands down the best Christmas movie of all time with many memorable lines and some of the best comedic acting of all time. It’s a great time to watch with friends and family to really put you in the Christmas spirit and give everyone a laugh.” He really hit the nail on the head for this one, taking the words right out my mouth; much better than what Mr. Bianco said, “I love it because it’s the best darn Christmas movie ever made.” As you can tell, it’s a perfect movie. Chevy Chase as Clark and Johnny Galecki as Russell are the perfect duo for this hilarious, feel good flick. Clearly, Clark Griswold will go down in history as one of the greatest Christmas characters ever.
It’s a Wonderful Life – Mitchell Meyer
An incredibly underrated movie, It’s a Wonderful Life makes my father cry every time he watches it. Not going to lie, I tear up a little bit too. It puts you through so many emotions. It makes you laugh, then makes you sad, and then smile. If you don’t know what it’s about, I won’t spoil it, but basically, it’s about a man named George Bailey and the importance of life and the effects he has on people. I encourage you to watch this movie. Grab your family, some tissues and some hot cocoa, and enjoy this 2-hour masterpiece. So that’s some of the greatest movies of all time, but regardless of what your favorite Christmas movie is, Christmas is here. It’s the most wonderful time of the year again so spread Christmas cheer like nobody’s business and cherish your Christmas memories here at Elder, cause you only get four years of them. Merry Christmas, my friends!
Is the pandemic the final nail in the coffin for theatres? Josh Huff ‘22 Staff Writer
When the COVID-19 pandemic first came about, all non-essential places of business were closed down. This of course am sure we can all agree that going to included movie theatres. This prompted the movie theatre is an experience - as many production companies, such as it should be. There is truly nothing as HBO to release movies slated to release relaxing and enjoyable as grabbing a giant in theatres, on streaming services. HBO bucket of popcorn and a coke, reclining in released a multitude of movies early via your chair, and just chilling while a movie it’s streaming platform. This included plays on a screen that can only be defilms such as Dolittle, Emma, and The scribed as “massive.” However, when the Way Back. HBO was not the only comCOVID-19 pandemic hit, it sent shockpany to do this, Disney released its long waves throughout the world, and certainly anticipated live action version of Mulan through the entertainment industry. on its respective streaming service, DisTraditional entertainment has been on ney+. HBO has already rolled out plans hold for a while now. By traditional, I am to released movies that would be released of course referring to movie theatres, cain theatres in 2021, to be released through ble TV, etc. As the popularity of streaming HBO Max. services and other forms of entertainment This brings me to my main point; it such as YouTube and TikTok rises, it is makes much incredibly difmore economficult for these ic sense for traditional the consumer forms of for movies to entertainment be released to compete through with one streaming of the most services. useful invenHowever, it is tions of the not necessarily twenty-first that simple century: the for production cell phone. companies. With On streaming virtually every services such TV show, as Netflix or movie, and Monstrous streaming services like Netflix combined with the HULU, the video ever made in most pandemic are attacking the traditional movie theatre industry variety of shows and people’s pock- like never before. (photoshopped by Josh Huff ‘22) movies is vast, ets, it is no but it works differently than you may wonder why movie theatres are becoming think. Streaming is not done on a “payobsolete. I have a few theories as to why per-view” basis. That is why many movies movie theatres will be a thing of the past released in the wake of the pandemic were in the very near future. released on demand, meaning customers Firstly, it is the cost. This is arguably had to pay to watch that specific movie. the biggest reason for the demise of movie Releasing a movie through a streaming theatres in the past decade. Let me present service still is not as lucrative as releasto you a hypothetical situation. Imagine ing it through actual movie theatres. As I you are the father of three children and mentioned, the price of a movie ticket is you want to take them to see a movie. All ridiculous compared to virtually the same children are under the age of ten, meanthing that can be seen in your home. It is ing you have to pay for the price of three also easier for companies to roll out merchildren’s tickets, and one adult ticket. chandise along with movies that actually At all AMC theatres, a children’s ticket come out in theatres. is $10.69. Multiply that by three and add The truth is that only time will tell your adult ticket, which comes in at a whether movie theatres are a thing of whopping $13.69, and you have just spent the past or not. But one thing is for sure, $45.76 on a movie. This may be justifiable change is coming, and it is coming fast. for some, but for many people, spending that much on a movie is just unnecessary, especially when you can see the same movie in the comfort of your home, for a fraction of that price.
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Arts & Entertainment
Ugly sweater power rankings As the Christmas season swings its way
around of 2020, a classic Elder tradition crops up: Ugly Sweater Day. Tons of students and faculty dressed in their finest seasonal fits, the yearly event is always a favorite among the festive, and this year was no different. However, it goes without saying that some dress better than others, so The Quill is here with our OFFICIAL Christmas Sweater Power Rankings.
#5 THE GRINCH
In dead last, we have the poorest attempt at an ugly sweater. It seems that students wearing these forgot their Christmas joy at home, as these grinches are wearing just typical Purple Friday garb. Despicable. Every year, you will see a good amount of these holiday-haters walking through the snow, unaware of the obviously present holiday joy, cursing the good name of St. Nicky. Hopefully, these Scrooges might get their own sweater this holiday. 0/10
#1 THE COWBOY
Yee-what? Yee-haw. Apparently, cowboys can be festive too, as Mr. Brown brought an unorthodox article of clothing in place of your standard sleeved sweater: a black vest adorned with a myriad of wonderfully homemade Christmas icons. While not declared to be western by Mr. Brown himself, the aura of the vest can only be described as that of a cowboy; maybe it’s the cowboy demeanor of the man himself or possibly something more. This fantastic choice just looks like it was made out of pure love, nothing more. It is a prime example of Christmas spirit, shining like a beacon of light to those grinches. 10/10 Although every sweater couldn’t be featured on this article, there were a ton of really great fits brought by the Panthers December 2, from one student’s Italian-themed one to Mrs. Tuttle’s snowman. Even the grinches, lacking a real sweater, admittedly brought the holiday magic in their own special way - but a real sweater would be great next time guys.
#3 THE BUSINESSMAN
He’s not taking Christmas lightly this year. Refusing to let this out-of-uniform day force him into the realm of anything next to casual, Mr. Schlomer rolled up to class with class, subverting the standard sweater for a Christmas suit. Few could talk down on the fit, such as senior Johnny Lenhardt who admitted, “It was a spiffy choice for my man. I don’t believe I could ever think about taking a nap in stats with such a professional in the room.” He means business; nevertheless, the vibes given off by the suit are not exactly what The Quill believes to be the proper Christmas spirit, but it is still a nice fit. 7/10
#2 THE LLAMA
This panther woke up December 2 and chose chaos. He got wacky. Though many know him as his nickname Moose, he was sporting a different animal. When Chris Mueller ’21 walked into school, no one expected him to be wearing a zany sweater featuring a sunglasses-wearing llama, all with functional bells attached. It was quite the shock that many needed on a long, odd bell day, filling any who saw it with a good laugh. Mueller is known for being a funny guy, so this choice felt just right. It’s hard to beat something as simple yet fun as this. 9/10
all photos by Gus Middendorf ‘21
Gus Middendorf ‘21 Features Editor
Friday December 18, 2020
ABOVE: Mr. Schlomer always keeping it “strictly business.” RIGHT: Mr. Brown bringing a little country to these here parts.
Mark “Grinch” Sievers in a typically lazy choice; Elder Sweatshirt.
#4 THE MOVIE BUFF
Everyone loves a good Christmas movie -Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, the list is endless. However, some Panthers are a little head over heels for these seasonal flicks, such as Aaron Wagner, repping one of his favorite holiday classics A Christmas Story. His sweater features an iconic quote from the film, with the even more iconic leg lamp. While great for those in the know, some might miss the reference. 5/10
Please Note:
Aaron Wagner breaks out one of his favorites for the annual ugly sweater day.
Chris Mueller added to the humor of the day with his zany, sunglass-wearing and jingle bell adorned llama sweater.
If you are have a serious need to see your written words published in real newsprint, the second-semester of The Purple Quill needs you. Due to a loss of nearly half of our staff to other scheduling commitments, we will have many opportunities for students to write right here in these hallowed pages. If you are interested, please stop by room s-133 in the Schaeper Center and talk to Mr. Rogers.
Friday December 18, 2020
Arts & Entertainment 15
Hillbilly Elegy: the story of a forgotten America Jack Sheridan ‘22 Opinion Editor
Towards the end of my sophomore year,
Mr. Reiring directed our English class to read a book that was different from the typical boring school novel. Instead of giving us another fictitious novel that had been released over 75 years ago, Mr. Reiring decided to take another approach, providing us with a 2016 memoir, written by author J.D. Vance. I am typically not a fan of the books that English teachers give us to read, but this one was different. Hillbilly Elegy quickly became one of my favorite books that I had ever read, and I became enthralled in Vance’s life story. The story, taking place in Middletown, OH, a little bit more than 45 minutes away from the walls of Elder High School, details the childhood of author J.D. Vance, now a resident of Cincinnati, who grew up in Appalachia and whose childhood was riddled with all sorts of traumas. Hillbilly Elegy tells the story of an all-too-often forgotten segment of American society: Appalachia and the Rust Belt region. Naturally, once I finished the book and found out that a movie adaptation of the book would be released via Netflix in November 2020, I was very excited. After waiting for months, the film was finally released, and I watched it twice the day it came out. In my opinion, the film was great. While the movie takes a different approach to the story than the book, I thought that it still encapsulated the central themes of the story and that the audience could still easily understand Vance’s childhood and the struggles that he and his family faced. The acting in the film was superb. Two actors starred as J.D. Vance, Gabriel Basso as the older version of Vance and Owen Asztalos as the younger version of Vance. With two actors playing Vance, the film was able to transition back and forth between Vance’s childhood and his present life, which takes place in 2011. This really helped to give viewers context as to why the situations in his present life were the way they were, and it was some help to people who watched the movie, who had not previously read the memoir. It does not stop there, though. Amy Adams portrays Vance’s mother, Bev, whose struggles with drug addiction and other problems, but still tries to give her kids the best lives possible. Additional excellent performances in the film were
Haley Bennett as Vance’s sister, Lindsay, and Freida Pinto as Vance’s girlfriend and now wife, Usha. Nevertheless, the most outstanding portrayal throughout the film goes to Glenn Close as Vance’s grandmother, Mamaw. Starring in a role that is unlike any of her previous performances, Close transforms into a tough, chain-smoking, tells-it-how-it-is, yet loving grandmother, who fights for J.D. and tries her hardest to give him the best life possible, ultimately inspiring him to break the chain of poverty that his family has been tangled in for generations. The movie is nothing short of inspiring. Vance’s tale of growing up with the hardships and struggles that he faced, yet working hard, joining the military, going to Yale Law School, and becoming the prominent political voice that he is today is an example of how hard work and dedication can lead you to achieving your dreams. There are many other positive themes throughout the film, besides hard work, most prominently: family. While Vance’s family certainly went through hardships and struggled throughout his childhood, one theme that stayed constant throughout the story was their determination to stick together and be there for one another. This was clear in many instances throughout the movie, including: Mamaw taking J.D. in and raising him when his mom is struggling, Mamaw writing J.D. letters while he was in the military, etc. If one decides to read reviews of the film online, they will see that the reviews are overwhelmingly negative. Now do not get me wrong, this has nothing to do with the movie itself, but instead the political aspects of the film that many left-wing Hollywood critics disagree with. The disdain that so many members of the left-wing media have for Trump voters (many of the people in communities like the one Vance grew up in are Trump voters) is evident in the reviews of the film. The movie should be a wake-up call to the coastal elites in the United States, who oftentimes forget about the men and women of Appalachia and the Rust Belt rural areas of the United States. Hillbilly Elegy may have received poor reviews from critics, but its reviews from audiences who watched the film were highly approving. The bottom line: movie critics are usually wrong. Additionally, after reading the book and watching the movie, J.D. Vance is someone who I have come to admire and respect greatly. His story of overcoming
Glen Close, Amy Adams and Owen Asztalos star in the Ron Howard adaptation of author J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy.
the obstacles facing him as a child, joining the military, going to Yale Law School, and becoming the prominent conservative voice that he is today is a quintessential example of having a strong work ethic and rising above the challenges that are in the
way of becoming successful. If one is looking for a story of inspiration, a story of hard work and dedication, a story of family sticking with each other through thick and thin, look no further than Hillbilly Elegy.
Dead end street causes confusion Shawn Wyatt ‘22 Staff Writer
I have a big front yard and a pretty long
driveway which is situated on a dead end. However, for someone that has never seen my house before, they may think the driveway is another street that goes all the way through. At least once a week, someone drives down my driveway, realizes that it is a dead end, and turns around. This has caused several confusing situations. Since the driveway is considered private property, it does not always show up on online maps. This has led several delivery drivers to go the wrong way or end up on the wrong street. I cannot order anything from DoorDash without calling the driver to explain that they should go all the way to the bottom of the street and turn. Like I said, people never know that the driveway is dead end, so we put up a sign before you turn that says, “dead end”. But this hasn’t stopped anybody. They still are confused and once they realize they are on a driveway, they have to turn around. I used to have a basketball hoop in my driveway, it was run into twice by confused people that had to tun around. That same basketball hoop was also victim of a fallen tree. One night last summer, the weather was very windy and rainy. In the middle of the night, my mom, my sister, and I were all awakened by a
loud crashing sound outside. We looked outside only to see a huge tree in the middle of our driveway and a telephone pole down, so we couldn’t get out of the house without driving through the grass. Luckily, this was only there for about a day and Duke Energy called people to cut up the pieces and get it out of there. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it happened again. Trees falling is the biggest downside of living near lots of trees like we do. Aside from the trees falling and drivers having to turn around, there have been several run-ins with the police right in front of my house. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures from these incidents. Around June or July 2019, an old black car came speeding down our driveway. I assumed this was another driver that thought it was a street. But then, they were followed by three police cars, and several other undercover police cars. Two guys ran out of the car and started to run into the woods, and the getaway driver stayed in the car. They had just come from robbing a bank! Several police walked up to the car to talk to the girl who was driving, while the rest went to go look for the two guys. The girl was handcuffed and put into a car, and a few minutes later one of the guys was found. They did not find the other
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Dead end
Our favorite tidbits of mostly useless information.
St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of pawnbrokers.
continued from page 15 guy until about 30 minutes later. I stayed inside during this whole situation, and I’m not sure if the police noticed me watching through the window. My private story on Snapchat loved hearing me talk about this one for a few minutes. Some of the police came back later in the day because they never found the money that was stolen. One of my neighbors came outside to see if she could help, and she ended up finding the money after a few minutes. I guess news got around the neighborhood that the police didn’t find the money, because for the next few days, a group of three teenagers came down my driveway saying they were “looking for their lost dog”. My mom and a neighbor knew exactly what was going on, so we told them that the money was found, and they left. Another similar incident happened this past August. Another guy in a stolen car came speeding down the driveway. He was followed by only one cop car and was arrested much quicker than the bank robbers. Since I was home alone at the time, I just sat there and enjoyed the free entertainment through the window. Overall, there have been several weird instances in my front yard. I would not be surprised if something like this happened again. I am also glad that the guys who stole the money were being followed and captured by police because they would have gotten away and my family would have been stuck with a car in our driveway.
Please Note:
If you are have a serious need to see your written words published in real newsprint, the second-semester of The Purple Quill needs you. Due to a loss of nearly half of our staff to other scheduling commitments, we will have many opportunities for students to write right here in these hallowed pages. If you are interested, please stop by room s-133 in the Schaeper Center and talk to Mr. Rogers.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 for a Montgomery Ward Christmas promotional coloring book. The character was originally rejected by the department store’s executives because red noses were associated with alcoholism. Festivus is celebrated December 23, is not, by the way, a “Seinfeld” invention but the 1966 brainchild of Reader’s Digest editor Daniel O’Keefe. During World War II, the Bicycle playing card company made decks of cards and gave them to the prisoners of war in Germany with hidden escape routes revealed when the cards were soaked in water as Christmas presents. Every year, Europeans decorate about 50 million live Christmas trees and the United States about 35 million. It is believed Germany began the tradition of the Christmas tree. Additionally, tinsel, which was once made of actual silver, is traced to 1610 in Germany. The tallest living Christmas tree in America is the 161-foot tree in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The star placed at the top is ten feet tall! Ever wonder about the string on a box of animal crackers? Introduced around Christmas in 1902, the string was intended to be used to hang the cracker boxes on your Christmas tree. Cartoonist Thomas Nast began illustrating our current image of Santa in Harper’s Weekly in 1863. Clement Moore’s poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” introduced Santa’s eight reindeer named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, and Cupid, plus Duner and Blixem (German words for thunder and lightning which later evolved into Donner and Blitzen). Although most of the names sound male, they were probably female, as male reindeer shed antlers in winter. Brenda Lee was only thirteen years old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958. The song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” originally was sung by servants to demand alcoholic drinks from their masters. “We won’t go until we get some, so bring some out here.” A Christmas wreath with holly represents the blood Jesus shed (the red berries) and the crown of thorns. Twenty-eight sets of LEGOS are sold every second during the Christmas season. Harry Truman was the first president to celebrate Hanukkah at the White House. When Santa visits 640 million households every year, he consumes at least 150 billion calories of cookies and milk. Sheesh, get a diet St. Nick! “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song. send nearly 15,000 people to the ER each year.
The photo below was captured over the
weekend. With COVID-19 ravaging the world, there are reports that Santa Claus may not deliver presents this year. St. Nick’s elves are extremely worried about his safety. The jolly old elf’s age put him in grave danger during this pandemic. In the wake of these reports, there have
Christmas decorating accidents
1 in 3 men wait until Christmas Eve to do their shopping It would cost about $105, 561.80 to buy the gifts in “The 12 Days of Christmas” in 2020.
Mystery “Santa” sighted in Price Hill Jacob Stamper ‘22 Guest Staff Writer
Friday December 18, 2020
Back Page
been multiple “Santa Claus” sightings in the Cincinnati over the past few days. People are desperate to get a glimpse of Kris Kringle. One Price Hill resident set up cameras all over the outside and inside of his home. Jim, after tucking his children into bed, went to bed, hoping to capture the first tangible evidence of this “Santa in Cincinnati.”
Real video camera image of the indruder (certainly not photoshopped by Jacob Stamper ‘21)
At around 3:00a.m., Jim heard a scuffle downstairs. He quickly ran downstairs, grabbing his son’s softball bat. Just as he ran down the stairs, he caught a glimpse of a shiny, black boot in his fireplace. The boot quickly escaped up the chimney, with no trace when Jim went outside. Jim was frustrated as he was this close to catching the jolly milk-guzzler. He completely forgot about his cameras and went to bed. In the morning, as his son was playing with one of the cameras, Jim remembered that he had set up multiple recording devices in his home. He first checked all the footage from the outside of the house, but none showed the true identity of “Santa.” He then reviewed the evidence of the tapes on the inside his home. He almost gave up as he saw nothing but the red coat of Kringle. However, after carefully reviewing each frame, he realized the cameras had caught a quick glimpse of the man. That photo is the one to the left. Jim was immediately terrified. This was not Santa. Who was this man? Some random person was going house to house, doing what? He quickly took the footage to the police, who are currently investigating the situation. Cincinnati police are currently offering $500 for any leads on the identity of the man who they have nicknamed “Kreepy Kringle.” Parents are terrified for the safety of their children. One parent we interviewed said she has not gotten sleep in days: “Every time
I hear a noise, I think it’s Kreepy Kringle. Does he think this is funny? Does he think this is in the Christmas spirit? Please, stop invading our homes.” However, while many people are worried, some are defending Santa’s Little Helper. Indeed, he HAS been leaving presents behind. And, he has not even gotten any sort of cookies and milk reward. Some say he is trying to revive the Christmas spirit in a time when the true Santa may not appear this year–and maybe even the next. Still, so many questions remain unanswered. How is this man affording all these presents? How is he getting into people’s homes? How is he leaving almost no traces of his travels? One thing is for sure, he is certainly as sneaky as the real Santa. Only this one photo has been taken of the man, and it took a house full of cameras to capture it. In sum, there is a man invading people’s homes and giving them presents. He steals nothing and even leaves the place tidier than he found it. Nevertheless, he is breaking the law. There is a huge debate in Price Hill right now as to what to do with the man– and just who he even is. He has become childrens’ hero and parents’ nightmare. One thing is for sure, NO ONE knows the true identity of this Kreepy Kringle. Do you?