THE WISCO PILOT
Vol. 28 No.3
Articles by and for students
Feburary 2022
Chinese New Year
by Lucy Li
The ox retires to the everflowing cycle of zodiacs, and in comes the roaring tiger of 2022. The first day of February this year marks the start of a new year according to the lunar calendar. The Spring Festival, which is more commonly known as the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, is widely celebrated in China and surrounding countries like Vietnam and Korea. The first day of this celebration usually falls between January 21 and February 20, because it starts whenever the new moon appears during these dates. As the celebration continued within Chinese culture for many years, many different traditions, such as the Zodiac, the food, and firecrackers have become major parts of Lunar New Year. The Zodiac One tradition that has shaped the Lunar New Year celebration over the course of time is the Zodiac. The twelve zodiac signs (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) represent the repetition of time-counting every twelve years in the lunar calendar. In a Chinese legend, it is said that when the heavens were dividing time into years, they organized a race to select twelve animals to mark each of the repeated years. At that time, the cat and the rat were best friends; naturally, they agreed that early in the morning of the big race, the rat would wake the cat up, and they would meet at the starting line and run the race together. Continued on page 2
Inside . . . 1 Chinese New Year 3 Origins of WLHS 5 Five Restaurants 6-7 Festival Gallery 8 Look & Find
Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me
Page 2 Continued from page 1 However, it soon occurred to the rat that the fewer competitors there were, the more likely it would win. Weighing between betraying one’s best friend and being marked on the calendar forever, the rat didn’t bother waking the cat up on race day. On the day of the race, all animals participating were asked to cross a muddy river. The rat wasn’t really good at water sports. Thus, it thought that the only way it could win was by using its small size to its advantage and stick to a fast animal. Just as the race started, the rat hopped onto the ox’s back and climbed onto its shoulders. The ox, who was used to crossing rivers like that, steadily walked in the lead. The ox was about to step onto the river bank and declare the first position of the twelve animals; however, the rat jumped off the ox’s shoulder and claimed victory. That is why the rat, an animal of such small size and significance, is ranked first among the twelve animals which represent every twelve years. This legend explains why each year is named after a different animal in these cultures. For years, this tale has not only determined the animal correlated with the year , but it has also been passed on to generations and inspires them to carry on the traditions of the Lunar New Year. The Food Another aspect of the Lunar New Year is the food. Each food served at Lunar New Year parties is a part of tradition and is served on a specific day of the celebration. All of the foods have significance and meaning behind them. For example, one food that is part of a Lunar New Year’s celebration is dumplings. Since dumplings have
Chinese New Year the same shape and color of gold, it represents having good wealth for the coming year. Another food item that is served at Lunar New Year celebrations is fish. People eat fish frequently during this celebration because the Chinese pronunciation of “fish” is similar to that of “more, leftover.” Also, eating fish on Lunar New Year’s Eve symbolizes abundance and having more than what’s needed. Another staple of the Lunar Year celebration is spring rolls. These delicious, golden, crispy rolls were named after one of the names for the Lunar New Year, The Spring Festival. Eating spring rolls also represents wealth and abundance in the upcoming year. Glutinous rice balls are also quite popular at these celebrations. These treats are made with sticky rice and usually have a salty or sweet filling. Its Chinese pronunciation is similar to the word “higher.” Therefore, eating these rice cakes symbolizes that things are getting better. Also, because of its round shape, it represents the gathering of families. It is usually served on the last day of the Spring Festival, or the Lantern Festival. The Firecrackers Firecrackers are used for multiple holidays and celebrations in many different cultures. However, China was the first to use firecrackers for their Lunar New Year Celebration. Not only were they the first to use, manufacture, and sell fireworks, but it has been incorporated into their culture through their mythology. The origin of fireworks is derived from this myth: There once was a monster named “Nian” (Chinese for “year”). It had long tentacles and sharp teeth. “Nian” lived deep on the sea bed and only
The Wisco Pilot climbed ashore every New Year’s Eve to prey on villagers and their livestock. Eventually, people found out that Nian was afraid of big sounds, the light, and bright colors, especially red, so, people put gunpowder into bamboo knots that were dyed red and ignited them. The resulting pops of explosions drove away Nian and saved many people from destruction that year. Therefore, because of that myth, lighting firecrackers has become one of the defining traditions of the Lunar New year and has continued even to the present day.
The Wisco Lunar New Year Party Here at WLHS, student take time to learn about different cultures and traditions from the international students. One opportunity is the Lunar New Year Celebration which is put on by the International Student Program every year. This year’s party was held on January 28 and all international and dorm students, as well as faculty, host families and American mentors for new international students were invited to participate. Although there was not a way to have a big fireworks show similar to the Lunar New Year celebrations in China, there were many fun, educational, and exciting activities for everyone at the party. Authentic Asian cuisine, such as bubble tea, was served. During the meal, students from Vietnam, Korea and China gave presentations about how the Lunar New Year is celebrated in their home countries. As people were finishing up their meals, the
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The Wisco Pilot
Chinese New Year
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Continued from page 2 calligraphy booth and the photobooth were opened up. At the calligraphy table, ink, brushes and rice paper were provided for people to try out Chinese characters and traditional drawings. At the photobooth, decorations and signs were set up for people to take their photos with. A little while later, the karaoke party began and many people showed off their singing skills. There were stand-up microphones provided and students were encouraged to sign up for songs they wanted to sing. To close off the eventful night, there was a huge
dance party where everyone showed off their super cool dance moves. The celebration was enjoyed by all and was filled with fun, entertainment, and great opportunities for learning. The Lunar New Year celebration has been a holiday of importance for many different cultures for years. With so many different traditions, significant foods, stories, and celebrations, it is important to learn about the aspects of this holiday and experience them with others.
The Origins of WLHS by Ryan Parker This article is about the past, a concept which is as vague as it is subjective. Since time is experienced differently by everyone, what one person thinks is ‘the past’ might be different from what someone else considers ‘the past.’ For example, if you are a student, you may consider the 1980s to be pretty far back in time. However, for staff members who were in high school in the 1980s, it would not feel as far back to them as it does to us. However, at Wisco, none of us would think of 1903 as contemporary, unless there happens to be an immortal being from the Victorian Era living among our student body, who would understandably consider 1903 to be fairly recent. The reason we do not consider 1903 to be in the canon of ‘modern times’ is fairly obvious: it was almost 120 years ago. World War 1 would not
begin for another 16 years, America was only 127 years old, and horse-drawn carriages roamed the streets. Milwaukee was only 25 square miles which, for scale, is about ¼ of Milwaukee’s current size. It was in this city that a new kind of high school education would begin, utilizing an undertaker’s wagon and horse to gather volunteers. Pastor August Pieper, a man who believed in the necessity of educating church members, spearheaded the creation of what would eventually become Wisconsin Lutheran High School. This combination of volunteers and an ambitious pastor would be what led to one of only two Lutheran high schools in the country at the time, Milwaukee Evangelical Lutheran Akademie. This school–which could hardly be called a
school at all nowadays--would transform into Wisconsin Lutheran High School. This school had a humble beginning. When it began, it enrolled merely 20 girls during the day time, and the staff was all volunteers. In the evening, the male students would come in to be taught. The entire school consisted of one room, which was inside of Immanuel Lutheran School, and all classes were taught inside of that room. This separation of genders was gone by the school’s second year in 1904, and boys and girls began attending classes together. This integration was not the only change that was made to the
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school that year. The school’s quickly expanding student population could no longer fit into the single room that all classes had previously been taught in. In 1908, it became evident that an actual physical building was needed for the students, so one was erected on a three-acre plot of land. Between 1923 and 1928, further expansions were added on to the building to accommodate for a constantly increasing number of students. It was around this time that organized sports–a mainstay for most high schools, ours included--became incorporated into the school. The future of the school looked promising, but a myriad of challenges were lying ahead.
History Despite the record high number of students (340) in 1929, by 1938 the school consisted of 265 students due to the effects of The Great Depression. However, much like the U.S. economy, the student population during the years leading up to and during World War 2 skyrocketed, eventually leading to 858 students in 1946. Due to the building’s size, it was only able to contain 250 students at a time, so classes were done in shifts, with certain students present in the building at certain times during the day since not every student could be present at the same time. Obviously, a larger building was necessary, but increasing unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances made the creation of a new building difficult. A solution of sorts was eventually reached when the school migrated its premises to a building more suited to its number of students, but the construction of a new building had still to get underway. This would change when a plot of land became available, and the construction of a new building began, which included an auditorium capable of holding 1,000 students. That building is the same one which we attend for school, which you may very well be in right now.
The Wisco Pilot
Want to know more? Our history can be found in the ‘History’ section of ‘About WLHS’, which is on the school website. Either that, or you could scout out your friendly neighborhood immortal Victorian to fill you in on further details of our school’s history. Either way, you’ll probably find the origin of WLHS to be far more interesting than you’d first assume, and the fact the our school managed to survive and thrive despite every difficulty it encountered goes to show that God is always around, helping us when we need it just as he has helped and will continue to help our school to flourish.
Pilot Editors Editor-in-Chief Emma Kammholz Assistant-Editor-in-Chief Mason Marrari Layout/Editing Lucy Li Brooklyn Dressler Frank Quan-Pham
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Restaurants
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Dining Well in Milwaukee As the famous 20th-century English writer Virginia Woolf once said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” There are several hidden restaurants throughout Milwaukee that are just waiting to be discovered. One of these may just become a new favorite. One great local restaurant is Blue’s Egg. This delightful brunch restaurant is located at 317 N 76th Street in Milwaukee. Alongside your favorite well-known meals, they have new takes on breakfast. Try their classic french toast meal, a variety of omelets, or their many famous takes on Eggs Benedict such as the ‘Dubliner’! Another amazing restaurant is
the family-owned Chef Paz in West Allis. This cozy Peruvian restaurant serves delicious South American cuisine! It is the perfect place to go while looking for unique foods you have yet to try! Make sure to try one of their delicious empanadas or the jibarito, a Peruvian sandwich with fried plantains instead of bread! A great Serbian restaurant on the edge of BayView called Three Brothers serves delicious and comforting foods. Located in a beautiful historic tavern, many well-known Russian foods are available. Not only does this restaurant have a special cuisine,
but it represents Milwaukee’s immigrant past! Their Goulash (a meal with beef and dumplings seasoned with paprika) and Czevapchichi (a dish made with spiced sausages) are some of the highlights on their menu! BelAir Cantina is a colorful Mexican place that is regularly opening new restaurants throughout Milwaukee. Enjoy the bright Mexican decor as you feast on delicious Mexican food. BelAir’s quality, taste, and affordability are highlights of this delightful restaurant. Savor a delicious Mexican-style brunch of breakfast burritos or chilaquiles rojos or come for a meal later in the day to try out their burritos and tacos such as the Carne Asada or Gringo! Lastly, an enjoyable restaurant called the SafeHouse in downtown Milwaukee invites many hopeful spies to its tables. In order to enter this mysterious restaurant, you must figure out the secret password or pass a clearance test in which you must complete some unique task! This restaurant brings a fun-filled experience for all. Order some of their cleverly named sandwiches or entrees such as Cuban Missile Crisis or the Licensed to Kill Macaroni! Once you have visited these amazing restaurants, go out and find many more hidden treasures throughout the greater Milwaukee area! There are so many delightful places that are just waiting for you to discover them! You can visit www.gettingstamped. com/best-restaurants-in-milwaukee/ to find more restaurants in the Milwaukee area!
Pictures courtesy of Blue’s Egg.
Restaurant Fun Facts * 1 out of 2 adults in America have worked in a restaurant. * Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year. * Bawabet Dimashq Restaurant in Damascus, Syria is the world’s largest restaurant! They have seating for over 6000 people. * The most expensive burger in the world is sold in the Netherlands and costs over $5,000! * There is only one McDonalds in Cuba, which is located in Guantanamo Bay. *One of the craziest items to ever be on McDonald’s menu was introduced in 1963--a grilled pineapple sandwich called the Hula burger. It didn’t last long.
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Festival Week
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Festival Week
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Pictures by-Emma Kammholz, Mason Marrari, Brooklyn Dressler
Vol. 28 No.3 Pg. 8
by Lucy Li