Taylor Ana - Staff Reporter
It’s spooky season somewhere: Gothic classics not just for autumn
It seems as though everyone has agreed: Gothic literature is reserved for autumn, and as soon as December hits, it must be ushered back into its crypt to wait for next year. Setting plays a big role in Gothic literature, with its crumbling estates, desolate landscapes full of desolate people, and life slipping away with the seasons. “Fall just kind of has that... feeling of ‘we're not quite at... the worst of the worst, but we're getting there,’" said OH English teacher Adam Jensen. "And... the same is true for a lot of our characters in Gothic novels who are transitioning from this place of normalcy... to this place of discomfort and terror.” The decline from the life and joy of summer, the mounting dread of winter, having to watch as beauty wilts away in front of you, and the inevitability of it all lend themselves to many major themes in Gothic literature.
Opinion: Why and how we need to read more classic literature
Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Dracula, etc. A bunch of stuffy old books by stuffy old people about stuffy old topics. Right? “I don't think most students understand the importance of [[classic literature,]]” said OH senior and National English Honor Society (NEHS) President Gabby Baier. In our ever-shifting culture, it’s hard to believe that something written centuries ago can have a presence, much less actually matter. But no matter how much a story matters, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s difficult to understand. So yes, people should read more classic literature. But they don’t have to do it on their own.
Opinion: ‘Tis the season: When should holiday celebrations start?
Already, companies are starting to send out Christmas catalogs, grandmas are addressing hundreds of cards, and carolers are beginning to practice their songs. But we’ve only gone through one round of pumpkins, the leaves haven’t even started to fall, Spirit Halloweens haven’t returned to their graves, and the Macy’s Santa hasn’t even thought about starting the holidays yet.
From shelf to the palm of your hand: How the OH LRC fits into the digital age
Technology has expanded students’ access to information and made the research process easier and faster, which is beneficial. But where does that leave the OH Learning Resource Center (LRC)? “I think a lot of things that teachers are starting to assign and teach us are online,” noted OH senior and National English Honor Society (NEHS) president Gabrielle Baier. As Baier noted, many things have moved online, and English teacher Jamie Bechina also referenced this, saying, “We don't really use [[the LRC]] that much, honestly.” As technology has grown and changed, educators’ and students’ reliance on that technology has increased significantly, shifting how print resources are used and how LRCs fit into that digital age.
Artistry in action: OH showcases student talent during National Arts in Education Week
This past week, students made their way down to the auditorium each day during guided studies and freshman seminars to celebrate National Arts in Education Week (NAEW). NAEW highlights OH’s creative programs, showing off Jazz Ensemble, the Improv team, Show Choir, Spoken Word poetry and Creative Writing, and the various dance groups. But it’s more than just a display of the arts. Fine Arts Department Chair Michael Skura said, “[[Art is]] relying on another side of the multiple intelligences that happen within individuals. … A lot of students need to activate that [[creative]] side of them, because when you're in that creative function, you kind of enter in the world of flow – when you actually lose track of time and space.”