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Ancient New Year’s traditions still in effect today

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By Mya Cannon

At the start of each year people all over the world make promises to themselves that they will do something to better themselves in some way during the new year.

Historians believe New Year’s resolutions have been around for almost 4,000 years and were first created by the Babylonians. 

At the beginning of each year, the Babylonians would make promises to their gods that they would pay off the debts they owed and would return anything that they borrowed to its rightful owner.

The new year began in March for them because that is when spring starts so they would start planting their crops around that time.

According to Ancient History of New Year’s Resolutions, only 12 percent of people today actually carry out and succeed with their New Year’s resolutions even though 58 percent of people thought they would succeed in completing their New Year’s resolution.

The Babylonians had a stronger will to succeed in their resolutions than people do today because they believed if they completed it the gods would grant them a good year, but if they did not complete their resolutions the gods would not grant them with a good year.

The Babylonians called the 12 days when they planted their crops “Akitu,” and they had to return the things they borrowed within those 12 days.

Hundreds of years later, the Romans moved the new year from March to January.

January is named after the two faced god Janus who is said to look backwards into the past year and look forward into the upcoming year. The Romans also believed that Janus was the protector of endings and beginnings.

The Romans often made resolutions that revolved around being good to others much like the resolutions people make today.

Today people celebrate the new year on January first, just like the Romans did, and make resolutions that will better themselves and their way of living.

While there is not a direct known link to New Year’s resolutions from the past and the New Year’s resolutions made today, it is believed that past has played a role in today’s traditions.

Sports

Swimming and Diving kicks off their season

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As each year begins, every team is looking to discover who will step up to the plate and take on a team’s crucial leadership roles after a loss of a senior class.
Coach Dan Reese of the swimming and diving team has already seen major contributions from swimmers in each grade.
The girls team has opened their season 2-2, and the boys 3-1. The girls won at Western Reserve Academy and at Nordonia, and they saw losses to Wadsworth and North Canton Hoover. On the other hand, the boys won against Western Reserve Academy, Wadsworth, and Nordonia, along with a hard-fought loss against powerhouse North Canton Hoover at the Bulldogs’ home pool.
The first person to snatch a real leadership position was Isaac Lumley in the season opener against Wadsworth. Lumley left his name on the wall with a record-breaking time in the 100 freestyle of 48.98. He demolished the previous record of 51.41.
Two sophomores have also stepped up early in the season on the boys side. Cory Cremer and Simon Lumley are proving to be aces in Reese’s bag of tricks. Cremer won the 500 freestyle in the first three meets, winning by merely tenths of a second in a race against a North Canton Hoover swimmer with an impressive time of 5:29.89. Cremer’s win in this event was one of the few all night.
Simon Lumley is a big competitor as well, dropping 1:11.87 in the 100 breaststroke in a crucial win against a Western Reserve swimmer, and a win in the 200 individual medley over Wadsworth with a time of 2:20.59.
Alongside these two sophomores is Kevin Houk with a number of wins–most notably in the 100 backstroke against Western Reserve with a time of 1:05.39.
The Lady Bulldogs are seeing big contributions from all grades. Freshman, sophomores and juniors alike have all won events at the first four meets.
Freshman Kayla Engle has been 1:16.25 in her 100 breaststroke which is a time that captured the girls sole win against North Canton Hoover.
Sophomore sprint duo Samantha Huddleston and Amy Vober have also seen their fair share of first place and fast times. Huddleston won two events against Wadsworth: a 59.39 100 freestyle and 26.09 50 freestyle. Vober captured a win in the 50 freestyle against Western Reserve with a time of 27.49.
Junior Lizzie Cole is starting off the year fast with a 1:20.33 100 meter breaststroke against Western Reserve.
The Bulldogs take on league rival Twinsburg at their home pool on Friday night at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12, and they will travel to Bowling Green State University to compete in the Northwest Ohio Classic at 8 a.m on Dec. 19th.
News

Bereaved families honor their loved ones

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By Grace Flinn

The holiday season is hard for bereaved families who have lost a child of their own. Holidays are about spending time with loved ones and being grateful, but when one has lost a member of the family, holidays are not easy when they are constantly reminded a loved one is gone.

According to stowsentry.com, Sara Ruble started the Christmas Box Angle of Hope Children’s Memorial located in the Silver Springs Cemetery. Ruble started when she mourned the loss of her only child, Scott Michael Jessie of 19 years who passed in May of 1994.

To help Ruble’s grieving process she decided to start a support group for all bereaved families who have lost their child. Doing so, this helped Ruble interact with other families who are going through the same thing as her. She gathered parents whom have lost a big part of their life, and raised 46,000 dollars to start off in 2000. Seven months later, the group increased successfully, and the memorial was finally dedicated in 2001.

The Christmas Box Angel Of Hope was based on a story called “The Christmas Box” by Richard Paul Evans. The story was about a mother who lost her child and was in great grief. Evans created the first Christmas Box Angel of Hope in Salt Lake City, and Ruble was inspired by this story and by Evan’s great idea, so she decided to start the program Christmas Box Angle of Hope here in Stow.

In the Silver Springs Cemetery, the Angle of Hope watches over the 600 engraved bricks of children’s names who lost their lives. Each year, there ire approximately 30 to 35 bricks added to the memorial each year. There is a candle lighting ceremony the second week of every December for the family and friends to have a time of remembrance.

According to stowsentry.com, after Ruble has been in charge of this program for fifteen years, Tim Thies, the father of a child who lost his life, will soon take over.

     

Community

Public Library to have a Noon Year’s Eve Party

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By Naudia Patel

New Year’s Eve is a new start for everyone. Students, teachers and almost any person with any job gets the day off, and they get to start working towards their goals.

The Stow Munroe Falls Public Library is having a Noon Year’s Eve party, and it is taking place on Dec. 31. The party is starting thirty minutes before noon, hence the name Noon Year’s Eve.

“Ring in the new year with Miss Amy and Miss Kristin during our fun-filled Noon Year’s Eve Party for all ages Thursday, December 31 at 11:30 a.m,” SMFPL.org said. 

According to the library’s website, this event is geared for children but can be for people of all ages.

“We will share a story, fun dance songs, snacks and a couple of seasonal short animated films based on classic children’s books,” SMFPL.org said.

As said above, there will be many activities for children including some short films. This party allows children to experience the fun time people have when they celebrate New Year’s together with friends and family. Children eventually turn into teenagers and then into adults. The Noon Year’s Eve party will be a more friendly version of a teenage or adult version of a real New Year’s party.

At real New Year’s parties, people almost always count down to midnight. In this kid friendly version of a New Year’s party, they will count down to noon. This way younger children can grasp an idea of what their future years might be like. 

“And of course we will count down to 2016 just before noon that day with all kinds of noise-making tools like bubble wrap and shakers. No registration required for this event.” SMFPL.org said. 

Imagine how much fun a young family member would have meeting many other children their age and making a lot of new friendships. Also, the activities they will have set up are fun for children. When Ava Ross, a preschooler at Indian Trail, was being interviewed  said….

 “I would like that (If she could go to the Noon Year’s Eve party.) I love dancing and singing. Yes, I do like watching movies,” preschooler Ava Ross said.

Ava Ross is five years old and likes to play with play doh, baby dolls, barbies, makeup, jewelry, dresses, stuffed animals, fake fairy wings, toy cash registers, and many more things. Ava and her twin brother, Gavin Ross, both agree that this party centered for their age group sounds like so much fun.

New Years is when people set new goals and achievements to accomplish. What the event planners at the Stow Munroe Falls Public Library could have done differently when creating this event was use ten to fifteen minutes and have the guests create a New Year’s Resolutions list. Teaching children how to make a New Year’s Resolutions list will most likely make this tradition pass down to many other generations.

The Noon Year’s Eve party is a great way to teach children the cultures and traditions of America. It could teach more traditions of the American culture, but it is also great as what it already is. A large group of citizens of of Stow will most likely show up at this children’s event.

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