All posts by Hope Douglas

Feature

History behind Black History month

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As February took its toll and ended, students look back through the month and discover new and old ideas. One many seem to have forgotten is the importance of February; it is a month chosen for the celebration and recognition of Black Americans and is well known as Black History Month.

According to Inventors.about.com, “What we now call Black History Month originated in 1926, founded by Carter
G. Woodson as Negro History Week. The month of February was selected in deference to Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln who were both born in that month.”

The importance of Frederick Douglass being born in February is that he was one of America’s top anti-slavery activist. He was born a slave, but later gained his freedom at the age of 20, escaping from his past.

He fought against the commonly know Jim Crow laws and the acts of lynching.

According to history.com, “For 16 years, Douglass edited an influential black newspaper and achieved interna- tional fame as an orator and writer of great persuasive power. In thousands of speeches and editorials he levied an irresistible indictment against slavery and racism.”

Douglass also worked alongside former president Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

Lincoln, who was head of the Union army during the war against the Con- federation (or the South), was a man of integrity and wisdom. Lincoln saw the inside of all people and forewarned those who judged others.

According to ourdocuments.gov, “In 1863, President Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring ‘all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.’”

However, the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation completely. Lincoln saw that this document would have to be accepted by a constitutional amendment in order to guarantee the abolishment of slavery.

“The 13th amendment, which formal- ly abolished slavery in the United States, passed the Senate on April 8, 1864, and the House on January 31, 1865. On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the Joint Resolution of Congress submitting the proposed amendment to the state legislatures,” ourdocuments.gov said. “The necessary number of states ratified it by December 6, 1865. The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution provides that ‘Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.’”

World Headlines

Cost of Snapchat lasts longer than 10 seconds

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As students and many other people of the world discover new applications and smart phone techniques, many become familiar with the app “Snapchat.” This app, with a selfie taken by a male adolescent, may just be a major piece of evidence to a horrific murder mystery.

His mother discovered Ryan Mangan dead on Wed, Feb. 4th.

According to CNN.com, “a couple of days after Mangan’s body was discovered, police received a call from a woman whose son received a Snapchat photo from the suspect. The photo had the suspect’s first name across the top, and it matched the description of the crime scene.”

Mangan was only 16-years-old when he died and was from Pennsylvania.

According to CNN.com, “The woman said her son also received messages from the suspect that said ‘Told you I cleaned up the shells’ and ‘Ryan was not the last one.’”

Many people have different uses for the recent top chart app “Snapchat,” but this incident and person might have taken this app too far. It is known by most, if not all, Snapchat users that once you send a Snapchat photo it can only be seen for up to 10 seconds.

Some users might also get an extra time frame if they use their once daily “replay,” or if they screenshot the picture sent on Snapchat.

According to arstechnica.com, “Police said Morton sent the selfie by using Snapchat, an application for smart phones that allows users to send photo messages that disappear from the recipient’s phone within a few seconds. But the boy who received the photo saved it before the message deleted itself. The recipient’s mother contacted Westmoreland County 911.”

The suspect, Maxwell Morton, also the age of 16, was the only one who allegedly sent the photo on Snapchat with the victim of the crime. Police reports said that the victim, Mangan, was shot in the face, and this was his cause of death.

“I’ve never seen it before, but it was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to the defendant,”     Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said.

Some social media sites have become more than just somewhere for people to share basic days in their lives, and some people have bad uses for these social media sites. This just gives society all the more reason to reconsider some ways to look at technology.

Reviews

Joshua’s fresh food serves as wonderful alternative

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From fresh foods to fast service, a restaurant in the school is known as a great place to eat a tasty meal. Joshua’s strives to new levels as it trains students for the Culinary Arts program.

With the objective to train all students in all areas of the demanding and competitive world of restaurant management and basic cooking techniques, Joshua’s welcomes all people on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to come eat a great meal.

If students need a break from the basic school lunches from the cafeteria, I suggest taking a walk a little bit further down the hall to Joshua’s Restaurant. They have a dine-in option and a to-go option.

“Our seasonal menu is quite popular. It follows farm-to-table food herds and changes three times throughout the year,” Instructor Tracy Lee said.

With an addition of all year meals that are classic hits, people would definitely be satisfied. Most commonly bought items are the house made chips, fresh fries and the chicken tenders basket.

They also offer a salad bar and soups. Desserts that could melt in ones mouth might catch their eyes, too.

“A lot of people really like the Joshua’s Killer Brownie. It’s a more popular dessert,” Assistant Instructor Teresa Ursetti said.

All the foods on the menu are fresh every week and are very good.

Take a break from that basic school lunch and take a trip to Joshua’s.

News

Hall passes updated for semester two

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As a new semester begins, students notice the hall passes have changed.

The new hall passes are only valid for semester two of the 2014-2015 school year. The new passes are white instead of maroon and clearly state “Semester 2” on them.

The old hall passes will no longer be accepted, and teachers have already been given the newer ones to allow students to use.